Local allergists give tips for spring allergies
NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – The temperature is warming up.
Flowers and trees are blooming and budding.
The signs of Spring are also the signs of allergy season.
Dr. Phillip Hooker, a local allergist, says the season typically starts early in Mississippi because of the warm weather.
“January or early February, trees start pollinating. The first tree to pollinate is usually cedar. There’s a lot of cedars around here so people start getting stopped up, (having a) stuffy nose, runny nose, itchy eyes,” said Hooker.
Amy Bogue is the president of Dutch Health Services, the parent company of Allegro Family Clinic.
She says finding the right medicine is key to treating your allergies.
“When you start to take over the counter meds, you want to make sure to see the side effects and make sure it’s not messing with anything else you’ve got going on health-wise. A lot of people don’t realize some allergy medicines might increase blood pressure, so you need to balance that out,” said Bogue.
If you aren’t feeling better with the allergy medicine, or your symptoms remain, Bogue says it more than likely has developed into a sinus infection.
“Sometimes people’s eyes hurt, or you might just have congestion up here so you got tenderness on your face, so all those types of symptoms could mean it has turned into an infection,” said Bogue.
Fever is another symptom.
Camille Gordon is the Allergy Manager for Otolaryngology Associates, Ltd. in Columbus.
She had some advice for the little ones with allergies.
“If they’re outside and they’re playing, when they come in, just go ahead and take the clothes off and put them in the washing machine. Don’t let them sit in the laundry basket and don’t let them get in the room with that. Same thing with their shoes. You can take your shoes off in the back door, so you’re not tracking in the pollen,” said Gordon.
The goal is to limit the amount of pollen brought into your house.
She also suggested using an air-purifier or a nasal spray to help with your allergies.
Though allergies can happen year-round, they typically peak in the transitions from Winter to Spring and Summer to Fall.
The allergists encourage you to see your primary doctor or get allergy tested if your symptoms worsen or continue.
