As the weather heats up in northern Nevada, more grasses and pollen will be produced, and when our bodies overreact to those things, we get the symptoms of allergies.
We spoke with a doctor about how our immune system's overreaction produces symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, dry or sore throat, and coughing.
Since we had a shorter and lighter winter, people might start dealing with their seasonal allergies sooner than expected.
Renown Family Physician Bobby Kahlon said, "You're going to see higher pollen concentrations during a season when the winter is light, and the warmth comes much sooner, which is the case this year. And also you're going to see higher pollen in areas where it's dry, like Reno."
Some tips that could help reduce allergy symptoms are keeping your windows and doors closed at home, having your A.C. on with HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, using sunglasses when outside, and wearing a mask when able to.
If possible, people can change out of and wash their clothes when getting home.
Avoid being outside during peak pollen time, which is early morning and during windy days, as this is very helpful when struggling with allergies.
We spoke to people who shared remedies they have that help them when struggling with allergies.
Leroy Wilson said, “I blend spinach, cabbage, raw or boiled eggs, and fruit in a blender. And I drink that every day, and it seems to keep me from having to take any medication at all."
Wilson shared that he found this recipe in a natural smoothie recipe book.
It’s important to know that allergies can become present at any stage of life. Just because you didn’t suffer from them as a child doesn’t mean you can’t be affected by them as an adult.
If people feel like they have a virus or a bacterial infection that isn't going away, they are encouraged to get examined.
Dr. Kahlon also says it’s important to be able to tell the difference between regular allergy symptoms and actually being sick.
He said, “Cold symptoms, you know, you can also have itchy eyes, sore throat, but you might feel malaise. You feel weak, you feel sick, you might have a cough with sputum production. You might have fever. With seasonal allergies, you don't have those symptoms. It's mainly just itchy eyes, runny nose. You don't feel sick.”
