Dealing with Spring Allergies

By Dr. Dave Hnida, CBS4’s Medical Editor

Welcome to Spring! Welcome to allergies! Allergy specialists predict this will be one of the worst allergy seasons in a decade — and no area of the country will be spared. To blame: the weather. Some parts of the country it’s been extra snowy and wet; other parts unusually warm. In Colorado, trees are the culprit. Here are some tips to deal with spring allergies:

Tips To Dealing With Spring Allergies:

• Pollen counts tend to be highest from sunrise to 10 a.m. To check the latest counts, click on this link.
• Wear sunglasses.
• Uses artificial tears to wash out pollens.
• Use nasal saline to wash out pollens.
• Shower before bed.
• Keep outdoor pets out of the bedroom and off the beds.
• Test air conditioning.

How do you tell between a cold and an allergy? Only with allergies comes itchiness. Otherwise, it can be cold-like congestion, mild clearing cough, and a thick head. And those sneezing fits tend to come just like that — in fits. Finally you do not get a fever with allergies.

Article originally appeared on CBS4.