Dealing with Spring allergies? Why this season might feel worse
It's the first official day of spring, but not the first borderland residents are feeling those allergies.
An allergist-immunologist with The Hospitals of Providence said it's "absolutely" getting worse.
"We are having many more patients emerge with problems that they need dealt with professionally," said Dr. Adrian Casillas.
In the spring, we see allergens emerging from pollination of grasses, trees, as well as mold spores.
Casillas says in our region, we can also get it from Bermuda grass and Mulberry weed, which can all cause chronic inflammation during periods of high winds and pollinations like we're seeing now in the borderland.
"Treatment always begins by avoidance, if you can," says the allergist. "However, if you live in this area, you know you cannot possibly avoid pollen exposure, just due to the nature of pollen and the way it exists in the environment."
Your biggest bet is seeking treatment, but first, pay attention and see if you feel any:
- Eye burning and itching
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezing or a runny nose
If you have asthma, you can experience wheezing and coughing — which impedes oxygenation to the blood.
All these symptoms can lead to chronic inflammation that can become life-threatening if symptoms are not treated.
Allergy shots are a treatment that lasts months to desensitize patients from the irritants that help cure the symptoms.
"For many patients, allergies are a nuisance, it interferes with our daily lives," he says. "We have to rub our eyes, rub our nose, blow our nose, coughing, getting secretions cleared out of the airway."
You can also find medications like over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops, or steroid antihistamine nasal sprays, which help control and relieve the symptoms, but not cure it.
