FRAZIER PARK, Calif. (KERO) — Flowers are popping up throughout the county following the rain. But the rain also brings out seasonal allergies.
- Anthony Costy with CVS Health says about a quarter of Americans 18 and up experience seasonal allergies, according to the CDC.
- A runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes are some of the common symptoms.
- Costy details what people in Kern county can do to get ahead of their allergies.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For those with seasonal allergies, sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes are a pretty strong sign that it’s Spring.
“Many people throughout the Bakersfield area have been gearing up for or are already engaging in a battle with seasonal allergies,” said Anthony Costy, district leader of CVS Health.
Costy said that about a quarter of Americans experience seasonal allergies– this number only applying to adults.
An additional ~19% of children also experience seasonal allergies, according to the CDC.
But following a rainy winter, Kern county is especially seeing a lot of blooming.
“Right now pollen counts have been hovering between medium-high and high range,” said Costy.
So where do you start?
Well, Costy said removing yourself from allergens like pollen is the first step.
“... One thing that you can always do is go to pollen.com and see when the levels are lower,” said Costy.
From there, Costy said to start looking into over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines.
“Histamine is a chemical that’s generated by the immune system by our body,” said Costy. “And it’s supposed to help us, but the problem is when the histamine becomes overreacted to an allergen.”
Common brands include Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra.
Costy said there is also another more natural route that may help with symptoms. He said, “If someone prefers to use something that doesn’t have an active medicine, they can use a saline nasal rinse.”
For those with more severe reactions, such as troubled breathing, you may need prescription medicine.
“In order to get that, you could either see your healthcare provider, or if you go into the minute clinic and see a nurse practitioner,” Costy said. “They’ll be more than happy to prescribe those for you as needed.”
How do you know if it’s allergies or a sickness? Costy said, “I would say a main differentiation factor though would be checking for fever. So seasonal allergies should not give you fever, so that’s one thing to look out for.”
But Costy said making sure people with allergies are especially in top-health is important. “When we’re looking into seasonal allergies, it’s always important just to keep healthy in general,” said Costy. “So making sure that your immune system is top notch, making sure that you have a great sleep, you’re eating healthy, you’re doing exercise.”
Prescription or over-the-counter, Costy recommends asking a pharmacist about what might be the right fit for you.
“It doesn’t cost anything to ask the pharmacist any questions,” said Costy. “You don’t have to make an appointment or anything like that. So it is very beneficial and I think that the public in general should take advantage of that.”
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