Spring sprang early and you know what that means? Spring allergies are here, too! 

Since we had a warm winter, pollen levels may be a little different this spring season. Pollen may be with us for a longer period of time and they can be heavier compared to previous years. We all want to enjoy the beautiful weather. But, at the same time, we don’t want any more confusion or to ask the question, ' do i have allergies or is it COVID-19?’.  Afterall, COVID is still here, too! 

AFC Urgent Care Dedham has created a spring guideline to help clear up any confusion. COVID-19 might have overlapping symptoms with the spring allergies, but there are differences that we have to keep in mind this spring season.

Pollen Counts May Be High This Spring Season…

Pollen is the grains or tiny seeds of flowering plants, trees, and grasses. These seeds can be carried on the wind and can cause various symptoms, or none at all, in individuals who are exposed to them.

Our changing climate has caused shifts in precipitation patterns, more frost-free days, warmer seasonal air temperatures, and more carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. These changes can affect:

• when the pollen season starts and ends and how long it lasts each year,
• how much pollen plants create and how much is in the air, and
• how pollen affects human health.

For people with hay fever, also known as “allergic rhinitis,” breathing in pollen can cause sneezing, congestion, and a runny nose. Pollen exposure can also result in “allergic conjunctivitis” in some individuals, causing red, watery, or itchy eyes.You can take extra precaution by checking the daily pollen levels online or on your local weather channel. 

Reducing The Severity Of Allergies This Spring

If you are allergic to pollen, or if you have asthma, you can take steps to protect yourself:

• Check pollen forecasts on local news and online sources and plan to spend less time outdoors when pollen levels will be high.
• Take your allergy and/or asthma medications as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
• Don’t touch your eyes while you are outside and wash your hands when you go back inside (before you touch your eyes).
• Shower after being outside to remove pollen from your skin and hair.
• Change your clothes after being outdoors.
• Keep windows closed during pollen season.
• Use high-efficiency filters in your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Make sure your HVAC system can use high-efficiency filters and that they don’t violate the system’s warranty.

For those of you with asthma, it might be a good idea to talk with your doctor about ways to reduce flare ups and to stock up on inhalers. As spring allergies may cause wheezing and difficulty breathing, asthma might make things worse.

Find Allergy And Asthma Relief At AFC Urgent Care Dedham

Enjoying warmer weather is one of the best things about spring, so go ahead and smell the flowers! Just remember that we at AFC Urgent Care Dedham are here for allergy relief if you need us. If you need us for COVID-19 testing, we also offer rapid antigen and rapid molecular tests on a walk in basis. NO appointment needed, but they are also welcomed.