ATLANTA — Are you sniffling, sneezing and having itchy eyes? You’re not alone.
A breeze, fewer cool nights and warm, sunny afternoons are the ingredients for what the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic’s Dr. Kathleen Sheerin calls a "pollen bomb."
Friday saw the fifth day in a row of high pollen counts so far this month, and it's only going to get worse, Allergy experts told Severe Weather Team 2's Katie Walls.
“I have a feeling that everything is going to pop at the same time,” said Sheerin.
The Atlanta metro is starting to see the evidence on our cars and in the street. Allergy experts said what we’re seeing is pine pollen, an indicator of what the smaller, more impactful pollen particles are up to.
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“People who are allergic start having problems even in the moderate range, and we’ve been in the high range for the last couple of days,” Sheerin told Walls.
Prolonged periods of rain lower the counts temporarily, but Sheerin said thunderstorms don’t necessarily help. That’s because they don’t always produce enough rain to wash the pollen away, and gusty winds spread the yellow nuisance.
If you’re suffering, Sheerin recommends over-the-counter medication.
“If you’re allergic and staying inside isn’t an option, there are lots of OTC medicines that you can try, and those include eyedrops, nose sprays and antihistamines.”
Sheerin also recommends staying away from decongestant nasal sprays, which can become addictive.
Take off your pollen-covered clothes after being outdoors and remember to brush your outdoor animals frequently when they come inside. If you’re still having symptoms, then it’s time to see a board-certified allergist.
“If you can’t go outside and enjoy it, then you need to see an allergist,” Sheerin said.