It’s been a long and tough winter this year with cedar fever and epidemic flu. But spring is finally here and the weather is perfect and the days are longer! That’s why we have same day appointments available, so spring allergies do not prevent you from enjoying all the fun outdoor activities in Austin during this time of the year.
As you can see from our allergy calendar, during springtime the major airborne allergen is pollen from oak trees. However, there are many other trees also pollinating in the spring: ash, pecan, hackberry, cottonwood to name just a few. And don’t forget the year-round stuff like molds (indoor and outdoor), and dust and pet dander!
The symptoms of hay fever are same regardless of season:
– itchy, water red eyes
– sneezing, itchy, runny nose and/or congestion
– post-nasal drip causing ear itching, throat itching and clearing, coughing
– facial/sinus pressure
– coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath if you already have asthma or may be developing it.
The first line of treatment is avoidance, which we don’t think is really practical, but you could avoid being outside during the morning hours (when pollen counts are often highest) and keeping windows/doors closed. The first line of therapy is over-the-counter (OTC) intra-nasal steroid spray such as Flonase or Nasacort. Allergies, like any other medical problem, can have a range: from mild to severe, so if the first line of treatment doesn’t solve your problem, we recommend you see us before you start additional meds, because at this point, it’s better to be seen by us for accurate diagnosis and treatment. At AFAA, we can provide you with both short-term relief and long-term immunotherapy options like allergy drops or injections, so you don’t have to have this problem every year. We offer same day appointments to help you start feeling better now!
