Experts Weigh In On Relief Options As Allergy Season Begins

Allergies are already getting bad in Green Country and the congestion and sneezing are only going to get worse this spring.

Allergies can be miserable with sneezing, itchy eyes, and coughing, but doctors say there is a relief. February was the official start of allergy season, and many are starting to feel the effects.

Kimberly Wills says her son Draygon has dealt with allergies his whole life and this year has not been fun for him.

"It's all with cedar, grass, trees, cats, dogs, pretty much everything outside, even molds on the leaves,” Wills said.

Dr. Brandon Humble with the Allergy Clinic of Tulsa says people are feeling the effects of pollen around Green Country. Cedar pollen peaks in the winter and tree pollen are what we're dealing with right now and grass pollen is typically a problem in the summer.

"This is broadly tree season, so this is the time of year that the trees begin pollinating, or at least everything that uses wind to pollinate, dumps pollen on to wind which for allergy sufferers is the problem," Humble said.

Dr. Humble also had some tips to make this allergy season more comfortable.

"The key thing is to start your allergy medicines before you actually need them,” Humble said.

He suggests taking a shower and putting on clean clothes before settling in at home.

"Sometimes a person will sit down and transfer pollen that was on the skin onto the couch and for a person that then sits on that same chair. That turns that chair into a source of pollen making that person's nose, and eyes worse," Humble said.

Finally, he says people who struggle with outside pollen can also use a nasal wash to help get some relief.

Check with your doctor before you start taking a bunch of medicines on your own.