2024: Pollen this season may be even worse than last year. Thought y’all could use this.
If you’ve been outside at all over the last week, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the yellow dust that covers everything. Yep, the spring pollen is back and it’s everywhere — covering cars, clogging sinuses and activating allergies for far too many.
While we’re thrilled that warmer weather is ahead, we’re not so excited about pollen’s impact on our health.
“It’s really hard [to avoid] because you go outside and the pollen is there, so it’s impossible not to be exposed to it,” said MUSC allergist and immunologist Dr. Maria Streck. “But, if they’re enjoying a nice day outside or kids playing sports outdoors, when you come inside, change your clothes, shower, get it off of you and your hair.”
Streck said the main allergy symptoms that manifest during the spring include:
- Sneezing
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Itchy, watery eyes
Dealing with spring allergies
Streck said she seasonally forewarns her patients about when pollen presence begins to ramp up.
“Around Valentine’s Day, be on the lookout, because as soon as the weather starts to warm up just a little bit, we all the sudden turn the corner and the pollen is coming,” she said.
“This year that was pretty true. Right after Valentine’s Day, it really kicked in,” she said. “And then, it consistently goes all the way to Mother’s Day.”
Streck also offered some basic tips for City Paper readers to combat allergy discomfort:
- Change your clothes after being outside.
- Wash off pollen in the shower. Be sure to wash pollen out of your hair as well.
- Regularly wash your hands.
- Don’t touch your face with your hands to prevent rubbing pollen near sensitive areas such as the eyes.
- Take over-the-counter antihistamine medications, such as Zyrtec, Claritin or Allegra, to relieve symptoms. Streck recommended reaching out to your primary care doctor if you need further guidance on when to take these medications and which is best for you.
- Use nasal sprays such as Flo-nase.
- Use eye drops specifically for allergies to help with eye-related symptoms.
If severe allergy symptoms persist, Streck advised people to visit their doctor and discuss next steps. Allergy shots are a potential long-term solution to more severe symptoms.
“It’s not the quick fix,” she said. “It’s the long-term solution to treating your allergies.”
Tracking your allergies
Roughly 24 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, according to 2018 statistics from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. These allergic reactions are triggered by pollen from trees, grass and weeds.
However, some people’s allergic reactions may respond only to certain types of trees and pollen.
“When we do allergy testing in our office, we’ll tell patients specifically, ‘We tested 16 different types of trees in the area,’ so they know if they’re allergic to pine or oak or elm,” Streck said.
She recommended using online resources to track when different trees and plants are blooming for those who know their specific allergy.
Pollen tracking resources include:
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