Allergy Season Comes Early To The SBC, Here’s Why.

Have you been sneezing a lot lately?  I have, and it's driving me insane!  I was pretty sure allergies and Spring were a thing.  Looks like allergies have cheating on Spring with Winter.  That's right, the sneezing, wheezing, stuffed up time of the year we all love and embrace with armloads of tissue and a cornucopia of various antihistamines and Benadryl is here!

According to Dr. Kenneth Paris, head of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at LSU Health New Orleans - our warm winter means that allergy season is here already, and it's going to be a long one.  If you are already suffering, he suggests oral antihistamines that are non-sedating, and a now-available over the counter intra-nasal steroid sprays.

I am what you call an extreme sufferer of allergies, and as such I have a lot of experience with surviving the pollen-pocalypse that is bearing down on us. Here are a few pointers to keep you breathing easy.

Showers - If you notice that you are suffering an increasing number of attacks, increase your shower frequency.  With as many plants as we have in the SBC and surrounding area spewing their pollen you are going to be covered in the stuff.  It collects in your hair, on your clothes, really everywhere.  When you move or shake (you know you do) you create a personal cloud of nastiness around you to breathe in, even in the relative safety of your home.

Medication - There are so many over the counter and prescription allergy medications available, there is almost certainly one that is perfect for you.  The secret is to never stop taking it.  It can be tempting to stop taking it after the symptoms start to subside, but most of the time the symptoms stop because the drug is in your system.  If you always have it in your blood stream - you'll have less surprise attacks.

Eye Drops - Even though my medication keeps most of the symptoms at bay, my eyes always get extra dry - especially when Sudafed or Benadryl are turning my sinus cavities in to a desert.  I make sure to keep eye drops with me, or it looks like I've been to a Pink Floyd concert.

Good luck out there!