METRO DETROIT (WXYZ) — If your allergies seem to be hitting harder this spring — you’re not alone. A local allergy expert says our recent cooler winter may have delayed the season, setting the stage for a more intense pollen punch.
Typically, different types of pollens hit in waves — trees first, then grasses, and weeds later. But this season, the colder temperatures could have multiple pollen types arrive all at once.
"Now that we have a longer winter season, instead of just having one pollen come out at a time, like as I mentioned, you could have tree and grass pollen come on out together," said Dr Pulin Patel, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. "So patients who are actually influenced by both types of pollens will be even more miserable."
The good news? You don’t have to suffer. Dr. Patel says there are proactive steps you can take — including treatments that go beyond the pharmacy shelf. For medication - you can take oral antihistamines Zyrtec, Xyzal, and Claratin as needed when symptoms emerge. Then there are nasal steroids like Flonase or Nasacort – but to get the best benefit, you need to plan ahead.
"If you do know that middle of April, I start having symptoms, I think two weeks ahead of times starting the nasal sprays, the nasal steroid sprays is very beneficial," Dr. Patel said.
And if you are lucky and haven’t had allergy symptoms over the last couple of seasons, Dr. Patels says, no you didn’t outgrow them, and those allergy symptoms can come roaring back at any time.
