It's that time of year -- when nature starts to wake up with an explosion
of seasonal allergens in the air. Boulder Community Health's Dr. Susan
Hagen recently spent some time outside with Nicole Brady of Denver Channel
7 to discuss what causes seasonal allergies and what you can do to treat
and minimize their effects.
According to Dr. Hagen, this time of year, you can blame the trees for
your sneeze. Up to 30% of Americans suffer from some type of seasonal
allergies. The good news is that most allergy sufferers can get by with
some type of over-the-counter medication such as antihistamines and nasal sprays.
If you do suffer from seasonal allergies, Dr. Hagen explains that a good
rule of thumb is to think about allergy medicine the same way you think
about sunscreen. "If you know you have an allergy, take the allergy
medicine about 30 minutes before you go outside. That way it has time
to actually get in your body and start working." If your symptoms
are severe, Dr. Hagen advises limiting your time outside, particuarly
on windy days when there is a lot of pollen circulating.