Dear NP

Dear NP,

Now that spring has made it, I am spending a lot of time working on my lawn and garden. Every year around this time, I suffer from seasonal allergies. What advice do you have to help control seasonal allergies? B.B.

Dear B. B.,

Whether you are working in the garden, running to keep in shape, or hiking through the Black Hills, seasonal allergies are a yearly struggle. With spring comes pollen, and with pollen comes seasonal allergies.

The official name for seasonal allergies is hay fever, and it is caused by inhaling small particles of pollen that travel through the air in the springtime. Pollen is incredibly fine and can travel far distances and is easily inhaled, so it can be difficult to avoid. Especially since, contrary to the name, hay fever is caused by all sorts of different plants. Flowers, trees and even grasses are all huge sources of pollen in the air.

The bad news is that like any allergy, seasonal allergies don’t have a cure. If you’re allergic to pollen, you’ll stay that way. But the good news is that seasonal allergies are far from dangerous, and there are steps you can take to minimize your pollen exposure and stop allergies from bothering you so much:

Know your allergy: Not all forms of pollen are different. While some people do have allergic reactions to all sources of pollen, some may get worse symptoms in response to tree pollen, grass pollen or weed pollen. These pollens are at their worst at different times of year. Tree pollen is the biggest problem in the spring, while grass pollen is strongest in the summer and weed pollen thrives in the fall.

Know your pollen counts: Plants are pretty consistent in their production of pollen, and this data can be tracked for your area. There are online tools to discover pollen counts according to zip code, which can even include a note on the plants producing the most pollen. For example, elm, juniper and ash trees are the biggest offenders here in Sundance. This data can help you plan your activities.

Stay indoors when pollen counts are high: This can be on certain pollen-heavy days, or at certain times of day. Pollen counts tend to be highest between 5 and 10 a.m., so early morning hikes may be bad for your allergies.

Close the windows: This may seem obvious, but it can be tough to summon the willpower when it’s hot and sunny. But whenever a window is open – be it your house, car or office, that’s another place for pollen to blow in and give you and everybody around you allergy symptoms.

Don’t cut your own lawn: If you get bad allergies, mowing a lawn is a terrible idea. Electric lawnmowers send tons of pollen soaring into the air, spreading allergens throughout the yard.

Don’t dry clothes outside: While it’s better for the environment and for your wallet to use an outdoor clothesline, it can be bad for allergies because pollen can collect on the clothes – turning your favorite shirt into a wearable allergen. Indoor clothes driers or even hanging clothes in a warm, dry room is a much better option.

Wash your hair before bed: If you’ve been outside, pollen could be stuck to your hair. Giving it a wash before bed prevents it from bothering you at night and from getting on your bedding.

So, the best solution for preventing seasonal allergies is really just to avoid getting them in the first place by avoiding exposure to pollen. But what happens when it’s too late and you are already a mucous filled, sneezing mess? You should treat your allergies.And there are a few types of medications that can help you do so.

Nasal sprays: Nasal sprays deliver medications directly to where the problem is – the sinuses. The standard nasal allergy sprays you find at the drugstore are called glucocorticoids, though there are also antihistamine nasal sprays.

Antihistamine pills: Antihistamines are medications that specifically treat allergic reactions. Most allergy medications you buy at the drugstore in pill form are antihistamines. Modern antihistamines have fewer side effects than older medications, but side effects like drowsiness may still occur (in fact, antihistamines are sometimes used as sleep aids).

As always, discuss any new medication option with your doctor before beginning. Even something as benign as allergy medication may have adverse effects if it interacts with another medication or condition.

Spring and summer are supposed to be for fun in the sun – not wandering around in an allergy fog. With a bit of planning and possibly an antihistamine or two, there’s no reason you can’t have a great spring, even with seasonal allergies.

Dr. Wesley Davis is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Crook County Medical Services District and Coordinator of the Family and Emergency Nurse Practitioner program at the University of South Alabama. He encourages readers to send their questions to [email protected]