Pollen Heavier Than Usual This Spring
(CBS) -- Have you noticed it? Something in the air, making your eyes scratchy, your nose runny and your attitude pretty lousy?
Blame it on allergies!
CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports.
Everything blooming is packing a punch, pushing more pollen into the air.
The sounds say softball season, but many of the players in River Forest are suffering through a sneezing season, too.
Dr. Joseph Leija says particles only visible under a microscope really tell the high pollen story.
He uses a device on top of Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park to suck in air samples and drop them on a slide for a daily pollen count.
He says the quick bursts of sunny weather in the 70s and above early this year plus heavy rain storms have pushed plants into overdrive, producing more pollen.
Right now, that's especially true for trees in the pine family.
Leija says if you enjoy the outdoors, taking antihistamines before you get symptoms could keep you in the game.
Renee Sichlau's children have all been hit.
"I line them up in the morning and pass out the Claritin and the Zyrtec," she says.
Ideally, experts say allergy sufferers should start anti-histamines before they feel symptoms.
Leija says over-the-counter medications are really for those with mild to moderate symptoms. If they don't seem to work try an allergist.
