It's time to stock up on tissues and allergy medicine. Strong winds across Arizona this week are expected to stir up a recipe for making allergies worse, reported AZ Family.
Allergist Duane Wong said, "We're right a the peak of allergy season." According to Wong, windy days can blow pollen particles up to 400 miles.
Dr. Wong said, "The typical things that we see are nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing as well as red itchy eyes. If you have asthma that's triggered by allergies, that can be worse as well so people are having difficulty breathing."
Dr. Wong suggests seeing an allergist if you are experiencing these symptoms. However, they're booked out for a few months. Dr. Wong explained, "We’re booked out probably for new patients, at least a month in most of our offices, but we’ve been having to add extra hours just to try to get people in because most people don’t want to wait a month just to try to get in and get some relief."
If you can't get in to see an allergist right away, here's what Dr. Wong suggests:
- Keep your windows closed, especially when pollen counts are high.
- Use a HEPA filter.
- Shower right after exercising outdoors.
- Wash your pets weekly.