Allergists predict severe allergy season

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WFIE) - Allergists have predicted that Spring will bring a severe allergy season. In the Tri-State, health experts have recommended ways to mitigate the damage.

Dr. Kelly Brauer, an allergist with Bluegrass Family Allergy, said each year they’ve had to prepare more and more.

“Everyone always says, ‘Gosh this is the worst pollen season ever, the Ohio Valley is the worst place to be for allergies,’ but the reality is allergies are increasing everywhere,” she said.

Ear, nose and throat surgeon at Ascension St. Vincent Dr. Heidi Dunniway said heavy rain is a big reason this year will be rough.

“First of all your mold counts are going to go up,” she said. “Mold likes dampness... We saw our grass turning green very early this year, which means grasses will be pollinating earlier, trees were budding earlier, so we’re likely to see a longer allergy season than we usually do.”

To help, Dr. Brauer recommends just staying away from your allergens.

“Nobody wants to stay indoors all the time, but ideally you avoid what you can while it’s possible,” she said.

If you do end up exposed, Dr. Dunniway said just remove your clothes when you get home and maybe take a shower to get the pollen off of you.

Dr. Brauer said over-the-counter drugs can also help, but the best bet is to work with an allergist to get a specialized plan to help with your specific allergies.

If you’re really tire of dealing with allergies, you can try to get rid of them for good with exposure therapy.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has a tool to find allergists near you on acaai.org.

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