Feeling Spring Sniffles And Sneezes? Blame It On The Wet Winter
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--After a tough winter, you may be breathing a sigh of relief over the mild weather we've seen lately. But, don't inhale too deeply because a wet weather could wreak havoc on allergies.
Gigi Barnett explains.
The freezing rain. The snow. And all that slippery sleet. It's gone.
But without all of the moisture, we wouldn't see flowers in spring.
But beautiful blooms will no doubt bring this:
"I can't get my eyes to stop running and my nose is watery," said Lester Hammond, allergy sufferer.
"When my eyes are puffed up, it's itchy. I don't like it," said Jamal Walden, allergy sufferer.
Doctors say those allergy symptoms may be worse than they were in years past. Blame it, in part, on the wet winter.
It fed trees and plants with the water they need. But now the allergy season is early and strong this year.
"It's itching standing right here talking to you," one allergy sufferer said.
"The pollen counts, the tree pollen counts are already high and so we're probably going to see more people presenting with symptoms," said Jess Sewell, GBMC physician assistant.
About 45 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergies. One million of them are in Maryland. Doctors say allergies are worse if you live in the city because pollution could super-charge pollen.
There are some ways you can get to it before it gets to you.
"Using air purifiers to filter air particles out of the air and using saline spray regularly to keep the mucus membranes happy and healthy," Sewell said.
And that is good news for your nose this spring.
Believe it or not, pollen in the city is also worse because over the last 50 years there has been an increase of male plants grown in urban areas.
Male plants produce more pollen.
Other Local News: