Spring allergies are getting worse. This is how you do it – NBC 6 South Florida

It's the first day of spring. Consider this formal notice to take seasonal allergies seriously before being overwhelmed without mucus or tissue.

Seasonal allergies, also known as hay, are one of the most common conditions in the United States. Over 25% of adults experience seasonal allergies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Soon, millions of cars will be dusted with a layer of green/yellow pollen, sneezing will break the silence and you will wonder if many cars are suffering from allergies or are sick.

Before the worst allergy season has settled, now is the perfect time to prepare. If you lose the ability to breathe through both nostrils, it is difficult to find relief.

Climate change changes pollen production patterns and affects everyone with seasonal allergies. Take a deeper look at the problem and see what you can do to help fight coughs and sneezes.

Is the allergy season getting worse?

If you feel that your seasonal allergies get worse every year, it's not just your head (or your sinuses).

According to Dr. Greg Carnevale, an allergy-specific ear, nose and throat doctor, many factors contribute to longer and more intense allergy seasons. UnitedHealth Group.

The main perpetrator? Climate change. The temperature rise and changing weather patterns are Make the tree bloom earlyextends the pollen season. Strong storms and increased wind activity disperses pollen over longer distances, exposing more people to more allergens.

Trees depend on Clues for a specific environment To begin pollination, it mainly accumulates temperature, day length and warmth over time. The effects of climate change essentially disrupt trees and contradict the timing of pollination.

Research is still developing, but some studies suggest that even “eternal chemicals” are synthetic substances that last in the environment for the generations that humans consume in contact with and ingest. It can worsen allergies by Loss of the immune system.

With allergy season here, we asked Dr. Richard Wasserman, medical director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Medical City Children's Hospital in Texas, to answer our top 10 allergy questions.

How to manage seasonal allergies

Just as allergies affect people differently, treatments are very different. Dr. Carnevale said he emphasized patients the importance of making homes a safe space during allergy season.

Tips for Home:

• If possible, leave the window closed to prevent pollen from entering
• Highly efficient particulate air, or filter using air conditioners using HEPA
• Wash sheets, curtains, and fabrics that pollen can be applied frequently
• Cleans the floors and surfaces regularly to remove prolonged allergens
• The fur can carry pollen indoors, keeping your pets clean
• In high humidity rooms, consider using a dehumidifier to reduce mold and mites indoors
• In low-humidity rooms, consider using a humidifier to soothe the nose passages. The optimal indoor relative humidity for the room should be between 30% and 50%. Environmental Protection Agency.

Tips for yourself:

• Talk to your doctor about treatment options
• Take over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays, or other allergy medications. Have them in multiple locations, such as your car or work
• Use saline to clean allergen nose passages
• Change clothes after being outdoors to remove pollen from your skin and hair
• Usually, wear a face mask in the morning and early afternoon, during peak pollen
• Don't rub your eyes
• Drink plenty of water to help with thin mucus. Your respiratory system needs to stay hydrated
• Limit outdoor activities during high pollen days
• Start preparing by setting reminders for next year's calendar before allergy season

“Allergies are easy to experience and in some ways it's easy to treat. Most people don't need aggressive treatment,” said Dr. Carnebele. “It's annoying sometimes…but if those symptoms are more problematic and affect daily life, it's important to start with the common ones – saline, over-the-counter medications, and even talk to your doctor for more specific treatments based on your allergy.”

Long-term exposure treatment and immunotherapy

For people with severe seasonal allergies, immunotherapy such as allergy shots and sublingual tablets can provide long-term relief. These treatments work by gradually exposing the immune system to small amounts of allergens and helping the body build resistance over time.

Although the results are not immediate, many people experience a significant reduction in symptoms after months of consistent treatment, Dr. Carnevale said. Similarly, some people believe that local honey helps build resistance through small exposures, but the claim is There is no specific scientific support.

Immunotherapy is commonly used to treat life-threatening allergies, such as peanut allergies and reactions to severe insect bites from honeybees and hornets. This treatment may not treat people due to allergies, but it can reduce the severity of life-threatening allergic reactions.

For people with Anaphylactic allergyImmediate intervention is extremely important. People with these allergies should undergo epinephrine treatment, commonly known as epinephrine.

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Why some people suffer more during allergies

The tree itself hasn't changed. What has changed is the length of pollen exposure and the diversity of allergens people encounter, especially as people become more migrated and exposed to allergens from different regions, Dr. Carnevale said.

Everyone has a different allergy threshold – the point where their immune system decides it's time to launch a full attack on harmless pollen. A light breeze may just cause one person to sneeze, but that same gust of wind can leave others reaching for antihistamines that knock them out for the night.

“Essentially there are higher or lower thresholds to show symptoms,” explained Dr. Carnebele. “Your body is always kicking out how to combat early allergens and sensitivity. So if you have pets and pets allergies, expand it. Pollen in spring trees is an additional factor that doesn't matter whether they show symptoms or not.”