Allergies (sniffle) make you just want to ... (ACHOO!)

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — The coughing, the itchy eyes, the runny nose.

And the Sneeze-O-Meter is off the charts.

So pass the facial tissue.

It’s allergy season.

The culprit is pollen, like that yellowish stuff that coats your vehicle, only smaller.

Recent rains combined with sunshine and warmer temperatures have allowed blooming to take place. Tree pollen already was very high but slowly going down. Now it’s grass pollen that’s going up.

Rain, wind, humidity and temperature all play a role in how much pollen is in the air.

4 WAYS TO COPE

1. Try to avoid extended time outdoors
2. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes when you are outside
3. Change your clothes when you come back indoors
4. Close your windows

LSU Health Shreveport’s Dr. Sami Bahna said it’s important to know how to treat your airborne allergies, especially if you have asthma.

“If the person has nasal blockage, then that person will need the nasal steroids. If the person has just the sneezing and itching of the eyes, most cases will improve on antihistamines.”

Bahna, chief of Allergy and Immunology at LSU Health Shreveport, added: “Allergies can occur from exposure to something which most people don’t react to it. So the exposure can be by inhalation through the nose, mouth and chest or by touching.”

According to the Allergy & Asthma Network, 1 in 5 people suffer from some type of environmental allergy. And right now, it’s just hard to avoid when it’s all around you.

First Alert Meteorologist Jessica Moore said trees play a big part in the problem at this time.

“We’re seeing the oak trees give off moderate to high pollen levels across the ArkLaTex; the oak trees are pollinating. We also have mulberry and bayberry trees pollinating.”

You can also download apps like this pollen.com app that showed pollen levels were high in Shreveport on Tuesday, March 29.

“One thing we do have rain coming across the ArkLaTex tomorrow (March 30),” Moore said. “And so what that is going to do is it is going to temporarily wash the pollen off the trees and the cars.”

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