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Southeast
Michigan
due for
'Pollen
Explosion"
as
Allergy
Season
begins
FERNDALE
--While
winter
does its
best to
hang on,
the
weather
forecast
makes it
clear we
could be
just
days
from a
“pollen
explosion”
and the
start of
the
allergy
season
in
Southeast
Michigan.
This
week’s
colder
temperatures
have
slowed
the
beginning
of the
allergy
season,
but as
the
trees
burst
forth
with
buds and
the
promise
of
spring,
the warm
breeze
that
accompanies
it
carries
airborne
pollen
and mold
spores.
For most
of us,
we
breathe
them in
with
impunity.
But, if
you are
allergic
to them,
these
allergens
send the
body’s
immune
system
into a
frenzy.
You feel
it as
sneezing,
a stuffy
nose,
and
itching,
watery
eyes.
Estimates
of the
people
affected
by hay
fever
range
from
about 30
million
to 60
million
annually.
No
matter
how many
are
affected,
the late
winter
means
spring
will
burst
out all
at once.
Doctors
predict
this may
be the
worst
allergy
season
in
years.
“Tree
pollen
season
comes
each
spring,”
said Dr.
Greg
Naman,
board-certified
Internist
and
Pediatrician
at EPIC
Primary
Care in
Ferndale.
“But
this
year,
the damp
and
rainy
conditions,
followed
by warm
weather,
could
lead to
a high
concentration
of
mold.”
Take
Action
Now
Know
Your
Allergy
– No
need to
fear the
dozens
of pin
pricks
that
used to
be the
only way
to test
for
allergies.
“We can
give you
a simple
blood
test,
right in
the
office
to
identify
the most
common
allergies,”
said
Naman.
“Not
only is
it less
pain,
but many
times
there is
no need
to bring
in a
costly
specialist,”
he
continued.
EPIC PC
offers
convenient
hours,
including
Saturdays,
for
allergy
shots.
Check
the
Pollen
Count
Everyday
– Plan
your
outdoor
activities
on days
with
lower
pollen
counts.
Pollen
concentrations
are
usually
highest
from 5
a.m. to
10 a.m.,
according
to the
American
Academy
of
Allergy,
Asthma,
and
Immunology.
Check
your
local
pollen
counts
at sites
such as
Pollen.com.
Keep
a
Journal
– Track
when you
start
having
symptoms
and
start
your
medicine
2 weeks
prior.
Start
Taking
Your
Medicine
Today
– “If
you wait
until
you have
symptoms,
the
antihistamines
are much
less
effective,”
said
Naman,
as he
advises
his
patients
to be
proactive.
Once
Allergy
Season
Hits
Dr.
Naman
offers
this
advice
to
reduce
your
exposure
to
allergens:
Mow
with a
Mask
– Yard
work is
a real
chore if
you are
battling
itchy,
watery
eyes.
The M&M
rule
really
helps.
An
inexpensive
paper
mask can
block
much of
the
pollen
in the
air, and
sunglasses
can help
keep
pollen
out of
your
eyes.
Use
Your Air
Conditioning
– It is
tempting
to open
the
windows
and let
in some
of the
fresh
air. But
once
allergens
are
inside,
it’s
hard to
get them
out.
There is
also no
shame in
keeping
the
windows
rolled
up in
your
car.
Change
Clothes
and
Shower
– Do
this as
soon as
you get
home
from
work or
any
outdoor
activity.
This
will
help
wash off
the
pollen.
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