Ohioans brace for the allergy season, seek relief

Terri Dee

April showers bring May flowers. These signs of spring also mean a boost in pollen production from trees, grass, and weeds. Ohioans preparing for the allergy season can expect symptoms of sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, or a runny nose - cold-like reactions as the body responds to these triggers.

Ragweed, dust, animal dander, and mold are common allergens that can enter the body through the eyes, nose, lungs, and skin.

Dr. Greg Carnivale, UnitedHealthcare chief medical officer, said there are ways to protect yourself to lessen allergens' severity.

"You can wear a mask if you have exposure. You can remove your clothing that has, the pollen and exposure to your skin and clothes. Remove heavy drapery from your bedrooms, washing their linens regularly - just trying to remove some of the reservoir of pollens that sometimes stick to those surfaces," he explained.

Milk, eggs, and peanuts are frequent culprits behind food allergies and typically show up as a red, scaly skin rash as early as infancy. As kids get older and start to have a little bit more environmental exposure, Carnivale added, the chance of an allergic reaction increases.

Climate change, linked to harsh thunderstorms and varying precipitation patterns, could create an environment for pollen to flourish. Pollen counts can increase after rainfall and with higher winds. Carnivale noted that pollen counts also tend to be higher in the morning and during periods of cool nights and warmer days.

"More days without frost, warmer seasonal air temperatures, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. So all that changes the growing season, lengthens the growing season. For all those reasons, we're seeing allergies maybe a little bit more severe," he continued.

People also are moving around more, and doing jobs in different places exposes them to different climates their bodies are unaccustomed to, Carnivale noted. He suggested trying sterile saline nose washes or taking a shower after exposure to allergens to relieve symptoms.

If little to no change is observed after a few days, an appointment with a health care professional to prescribe a higher-dose medication would be the next step.