Springtime is upon us! Daylight Saving began, so it’s lighter out, and of course the season was officially ushered in on March 20. Personally, I can always confirm this time of year even without a calendar, because my NYC apartment building still hasn’t shut off the radiators so I’m miserably overheating (I refuse to pay for air conditioning this early and yes I’ve opened every window I can!). And then there’s another signature irritant of the season: allergies. People Mag turned to Dr. Christina Ciaccio, chief of pediatric allergy and immunology at University of Chicago Medical Center, who shared some frankly alarming info about this year’s pollen. Apparently, it’s worse than ever (why should pollen be different than any other sector right now…) because “Climate warming and increased CO2 levels favor pollen seasons that start earlier … and it’s more potent pollen.” But the doctor was also kind enough to share tips for surviving and minimizing allergies this year:
How should we treat symptoms?
“Nasal steroids are the most effective medications. … And antihistamines, the ones that last 12 to 24 hours. Those are the second generation antihistamines as opposed to the first generation that lasted four to six hours and were very sedating. … Antihistamines work within 15 minutes to an hour of when you take them, so you can just take them on your bad days. If you have bad allergies, you can take both nasal steroids and antihistamines together.”What’s the best relief for itchy eyes?
“Showering can help. You could put a cold, wet washcloth on your eyes, and gently squeeze the cloth to irrigate out the pollen. And there are great over-the-counter eye drops that are antihistamines. My tip is if you keep them in the refrigerator, it’s even more soothing when you put them in your eye.”What should you avoid?
“Nasal decongestants. You can have a rebound effect. You really shouldn’t use those more than a couple days. If you have a whole season of allergies and use them all season, when you try and stop it, then it’s almost like you’re addicted to it and you can’t stop. People can run into problems with that.”Should we just stay inside?
“Some people have to turn on the air conditioner and seal up windows during high-pollen season, but we don’t discourage people from going outside, especially kids. We want them to be playing outside at any time of year they can be playing outside. We would rather recommend someone take a medication to be able to go outside and walk around and get the appropriate exercise, rather than staying indoors with air-conditioning and not doing anything. But as soon as you come in, jump in the shower, and get the pollen off. Throw your clothes in the wash. Don’t be tempted to re-wear them. Don’t lay your clothes on the bed and get pollen all over the bed.”What should you keep in your allergy care kit?
“Oral antihistamines: Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra and Xyzal are the most common, but generics are fine too. Some are a bit stronger and more likely to be sedating. … And some are much less sedating, but maybe a little bit weaker. It just depends on how you tolerate medications in general so you can try different antihistamines. Nasal steroids: They are the most effective allergy medication, but the caveat is it takes several days for them to become effective. You need to start them early. Flonase is an over the counter option. And sinus irrigation [like a neti pot]: Using salt water can clear pollen out of your sinuses and can help a lot.”
There you have it, folks — drug up and go outside! (Or still stay inside!) I appreciated the doctor’s points on disrobing and refreshing when you come home, and I’m definitely guilty of putting my clothes down on my bed, so I’ll stop doing that. The thing about putting eye drops in the refrigerator also leapt out at me, but I think I might find the extra cold more startling than soothing! There are even more tips in the full article, things like you know it’s allergies if your primary symptom is itchiness, whereas a flu is more likely to involve a fever. And she also said she thought air purifiers aren’t worth the cost, unless you live with an animal you’re allergic to, and that while honey or bee pollen might feel soothing (people have tried them for treating symptoms), the science actually works the other way, in that the pollen we find irritating is from wind-pollinated trees as opposed to insect-pollinated plants.
Now go forth and prosper in the face of pollen!
Photos credit: Tuấn Kiệt Jr., Kaboom pics and Gustavo Fring on Pexels