The seasons are changing and temperatures are rising, but so is the pollen count.
Health experts say people with seasonal allergies should be prepared for a difficult spring ahead.
Dr. Ravi Kashyap is a pulmonologist at Carle Health Methodist Hospital in Peoria. He says there are some precautions people with allergies can take to make the season a little less miserable.
Popular weather apps usually include a pollen count with their daily forecast, which Kashyap says can help with planning for the severity of allergy symptoms on any given day.
“If you do go out, and if you have an opportunity to wear a mask, that'll be helpful,” he said. “We saw that in COVID times. When COVID was pretty bad, everybody was wearing a mask [and] allergies were low. So we know that it does work as well for allergies.”
After returning home, Kashyap recommends washing your clothes and taking a shower to avoid spreading pollen further within the house and bringing symptoms indoors. During the day, doors and windows should stay closed to prevent allergens from wafting in on a spring breeze.
Kashyap said if you’re experiencing allergy symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat for the first time this year, it may be time to talk with your doctor about an allergy test. He said allergies can become prominent and noticeable at any time in a person’s life.
“[Even] being a doctor and being a specialist in this area, I didn’t know what was happening to me,” Kashyap said. “I just thought, ‘something’s weird.’ It took me two days to realize I have allergies.”
Talking with a doctor is especially important when the symptoms of allergies could be confused for illnesses like COVID or the flu. It can also be critical to treat allergies in people who suffer from underlying conditions like asthma.
“They should be extra careful, because sometimes they may land up in the hospital if they don't take prevention and or seek early attention,” said Kashyap. “So, if they have asthma, allergies acting up, they should immediately contact the doctor to see how they can prevent it from getting worse.”
Kashyap said doctors have a variety of over the counter and prescription options to treat allergies, including intranasal steroids and antihistamines like Benadryl and Allegra.
“Sometimes some people might even need allergy shots. So, for example, the first time they have allergies, and there are pretty significant allergies and significant reactions to it, then I think talking to the doctors and getting allergy testing or even allergy shots would prevent that from happening in the future,” said Kashyap.
Allergy season in Illinois lasts roughly from March to the first frost of winter.
