2012年3月14日 星期三

Warm weather brings earlier allergies

It's still less than a week before the official start of spring, but the warm weather is already in full bloom - as are the allergies.

While the 60-degree weather last week and the 70-degree weather this week are giving more people a reason to get outdoors, it’s also the reason why many others are seeking treatment from allergists a month before allergies usually kick in.

Dr. Donald Harper is an allergist at Medical Arts Allergy’s Harrisburg office, and he started seeing patients back in February for spring allergy symptoms.

"A number of patients are getting symptoms now rather than in mid-April," Harper said. "It’s definitely sooner than in previous years. Usually we’ll see people into April or sometimes at the end of March. That’ll depend on meteorological conditions. Last year, there were storms that really put pollination on hold. The pollen spreads in dry weather, and can’t in very, very wet conditions. That’s why people are in trouble in the morning. Once the morning dew burns off the trees, it opens up the trees to release pollen. I think we’re in for a long spring."

Though the warmer temperatures have led to a lot of blooming flowers, Harper said it’s actually the trees that will do the most damage for those who suffer from spring allergies.

"It depends on what you’re allergic to," he said. "Local trees pollinate at slightly different times. That pollen is lighter and can travel for miles and miles and miles. We’ll get tree pollen from the area as well as pollen from trees in West Virginia or potentially as far away as Virginia. The southern states are already starting to get into the full pollen season, and we’re downwind of that."

Trees won’t be the only problem spring allergy sufferers will face this season. Just as any other spring, there are indoor and outdoor allergens that could pose some problems.

"There will also be problems with house dust mites – an indoor allergen – and with mold," Harper said. "As humidity comes up,Full color plasticcard printing and manufacturing services. there will be more house dust mites. The more humid the environment, the more allergens are produced. In the winter, we’ve actually had some problem with molds as well. It never really got that cold, so mold has been a problem all winter. It can become trouble in the spring. Most of the mold comes from the soil.Diagnosing and Preventing coldsores Fever in the body can often trigger the onset of a cold sore. The dirt ground at farms have mold spores, and when farmers dig that up, it releases the spores. Mold spores tend to travel for quite a bit. The air around the farms always has some mold."

If the allergies start to become too much, there are a number of ways people can try to handle the downside of warm weather. Harper noted that over-the-counter medications, such as Allegra, work and are safe for most people to use, while prescription medications, such as Flonase and Nasonex,Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside, could help decrease the swelling in the nose if used regularly over time.

Allergists also offer allergy shots. While the medications work immediately because they attack the symptoms, allergy shots are a more long-term solution given that they address the cause – the immune system. A person is given a series of build-up shots and a series of maintenance shots over the span of a few years.

"Most patients see a vast difference and much fewer symptoms, both in the nasal and ocular areas," Harper said. "That can last for years."

Other than medications, Harper noted that just avoiding peak times could make a difference in avoiding the worst allergies.

"There are ways you can try to limit exposure to pollen," he said. "You can try staying inside during peak hours early in the morning. Try to limit being outside from 8 to 9 a.m.Pfister werkzeugbau AG aus Mönchaltorf ist Ihr Partner bei der Herstellung von Werkzeugen und Spritzformen. to 1 p.m. Pollen amounts start to decline as the day goes on, and it’ll come back the next day. You can be in car or go shopping.Dimensional Mailing magiccubes for Promotional Advertising, People can use the air conditioner as opposed to opening up the windows and allowing allergens to come inside. In terms of hygiene, you can take a shower before you go to bed to wash out all of the allergens in your hair. You can also wash your face to get the remaining pollen off the eyelids and eyelashes."

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