Allergy season has come early for much of the country, especially Arizona, and so it’s time to fight back and take control of your symptoms before they take control of you. Our Phoenix doctors see hundreds of patients this time of year for allergy symptoms, which are often and easily confused with cold or flu symptoms. But with an early allergy season in Phoenix we’ll be seeing a longer allergy season, which means you need to understand how to prevent and avoid some of the more nasty symptoms.
What Is Causing Your Allergies?
Seasonal allergies are caused by allergens in the air, most often pollen from blooming flowers and desert plant life that are soaking up this amazing spring weather. With heavy rains and great saturation for new plant growth, flowers are in full bloom and so are seasonal allergies.
Reduce Exposure
While it’s nearly impossible to avoid allergens in Phoenix all together, simply because we live in the middle of the desert and we are surrounded by beautiful plant life, you can reduce exposure and prevent symptoms.
Wind – With some recent windy days we’ve seen here in Arizona, your best bet is to stay indoors. When the wind picks up, it spreads allergens all over the state, leading to new plan growth and increased risk for allergy symptoms to overload. Windy days are the WORST for Phoenix season allergies, so on those windy days stay indoors and keep your windows closed!
Yard Work – Simple tasks such as mowing the lawn, pulling weeds and planting those amazing spring flowers will increase your allergy symptoms, so delegate those tasks to someone in the family who does not have serious allergies.
Shower and Laundry – Pollen loves clothes and hair, so any time you have to be outdoors on a windy or spring day you’ll be attracting pollen whether you realize it or not. So, once home be sure to change, run a load of laundry to keep that pollen out of your home, and wash your hair. This might sound a bit strange, but listen to the Phoenix doctors with experience in this matter – pollen that gets on your body and in your hair can cause the worst symptoms.
Be Aware of Pollen Count
There are ways to check the pollen count each morning before you head out for the day. Accuweather.com has a nice feature showing allergy risk for each day of the week. Not only do they show you the local Phoenix pollen count, they offer tips and advice each day for avoiding those seasonal allergies.
Watch your local news for pollen count information. Each morning they will show whether it will be a bad day for seasonal allergies in Phoenix or a mild day.
Plan your day according to the pollen count, taking medications if needed, closing windows or avoiding outdoor exposure.
Clean House
Lastly, keeping your home clean and pollen free will greatly improve your seasonal allergy symptoms. Because the air is so dry here in Phoenix, we are well known for having a great deal of dust that seems to come out of nowhere and settle on everything. I remember when I first moved here to become a Phoenix doctor I was astonished by the amount of dust that seemed to appear from nowhere. This dust wreaks havoc on allergies, so be sure to use a HEPA filter in your vacuum and vacuum often. Use a HEPA filter for the AC and change often. Dust and mop often as well.
If you’re suffering from Arizona season allergies, give your Phoenix doctor a call to discuss your options. You might require prescription medications to alleviate some of the symptoms.
“by Kandice Linwright” at Google
Family Practice Specialists
The physicians and specialists at Family Practice Specialists offer the best medical services in Arizona, with an in house lab and x-ray, as well as dermatologist, bone screenings, and much more, we can handle it all right here in our Phoenix offices. Give us a call at 602.955.8700 or visit us at 4350 E. Camelback Rd., Ste F100, Phoenix, AZ 85018