Achoo! Sniff: Allergy season is here
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EUGENE, Ore. - Sunny days are meant to be enjoyed Oregon.
But if you suffer from allergies, it can be miserable.
"You can't breathe, you're coughing, it's awful," said allergy sufferer Paul Ramirez.
He never had allergies before moving to Eugene. But About 10 years ago, he started taking prescription medication to feel better.
"I get a couple nose sprays, I get a couple eye drops and I take those," he said.
And he's not alone. If you felt stuffed up Monday morning, chances are you're reacting to these tree pollen.
"When the weather finally gets good, what we see is a burst of pollen come out," said Dr. Kraig Jacobson with Oregon Allergy Associates.
Even though we saw snow just last week, one sunny day can bring out pollen in alder and birch trees.
"Enough dry intervals, that pollen's gonna be out there and it's gonna be going up and down," said Jacobson.
And that means sneezing, coughing and watery eyes.
For some allergy sufferers the only relief comes from prescription medication, including allergy shots. But for most, a nasal rinse or over-the-counter medications work just fine.
"You can get good antihistamines over-the-counter," said Jacobson. "They are much cheaper than they used to be."
While trees are creating problems now, grasses are next. Jacobson said he's not sure how bad the season will be this year, but if it was anything like last year, it won't be tame.
"I will say it's unlikely that it will be really light," he said. "Our grass pollen counts are the highest in the world."
For sufferers like Ramirez, it's never too soon to start taking medications.
"If I start in April, by May, June, July, I should be OK," he said.
