Sheldon, Iowa — It appears the warm spring weather is finally here to stay and in exchange, many northwest Iowans have stuffy noses, itchy eyes, and sore throats.
Dr. Ryan Becker, a physician at Sanford Sheldon says they are starting to see some seasonal allergy cases.
Dr. Becker says pollen counts started low, but are ramping up. He says the first part of allergy treatment is prevention.
He says there are a lot of other things you can try too, including hypoallergenic pillowcases, sheets, clothing, and so forth. He says some things work better for some and some work better for others, and he encourages his patients that if they find something that works to stick with it. He says pets can also be an issue and keeping them cleaned and brushed does seem to help.
Many allergy-fighting drugs used to require a prescription, but that’s no longer the case.
He says those are great for occasional symptoms, but if you have symptoms every day including itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing, you might try a different route.
Experts advise that many of those meds don’t work the same on everyone so it may take some trial and error to find the perfect fix.
Becker says if symptoms are severe enough, you should seek medical attention. He says his office can refer you to an allergist who may start a series of allergy shots. Dr. Becker says you can call Sanford Sheldon for more information.
