Sep 12, 2008 2:21 pm US/Eastern
Allergy Sufferers 'Curious' About Recent Symptoms
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Ragweed plant (File Image)
CBS
If you're an
allergy sufferer, this is a tough time of year, but some people think something is a little different this time around.
Kait in Boston is
curious. She wrote, "Why am I having such bad allergies right now when I haven't had any problems all year?"
Kait, you're not alone. There are people out there who have never suffered from allergies before who are also having a tough time.
We usually hit ragweed season in the late summer and early fall, but this year, we're being bombarded by a particularly high ragweed
pollen count. This is probably due to a couple of factors.
We had a lot of rain this summer, which tamped down grass pollen and other weed pollens so that people enjoyed a pretty symptom-free summer. Plus, the heavy rains led to a bumper ragweed crop this year so now we're suffering the consequences.
Fortunately, there are several medications out there that can help minimize your asthma symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, scratchy throat, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
For anti-histamines, there's
diphenhydramine, which is found in
Benadryl though it can make you sleepy. Or you can look for a non-sedating antihistamine like
loratadine, found in
Claritin.
If you're having a lot of nasal symptoms, you can try over-the-counter decongestants, like
Sudafed, or you may want to ask your doctor for a nasal steroid which can be used once or twice a day.
Other things to do to keep your symptoms at bay: keep your car and house doors closed during the day, change the air filters in your home often, and if you've been working outside, change your clothes as soon as you come inside.
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