Tips to Survive High Pollen Days, Manage Allergies

It’s been another record-breaking pollen season in Georgia, and people of all ages have been suffering from sneezing, congestion, itching, and watery eyes.

More than 100 million people in the United States have asthma or allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. May is National Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month, and each year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and other healthcare organizations educate the public about allergic diseases.

Here are some allergy and asthma facts from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:

• Nearly 26 million people in the U.S. have asthma (20.7 million adults and 4.8 million children)

• About 20 million people in the U.S. have food allergies (16.0 million adults and 4.3 million children)

• About 80 million people in the U.S. have rhinitis due to nasal allergies, also called “hay fever” (66.4 million adults and 13.9 million children)

Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, an allergy practice with 18 locations in the Atlanta area including Fayetteville, offers some advice on how to survive high pollen days, how to manage allergies and why people should consider seeing an allergist.

Surviving High Pollen Count Days

Allergy sufferers can follow Atlanta Allergy &

Asthma’s daily pollen count (trees, grass and weeds) and mold activity count on the allergy group’s website. Atlanta Allergy & Asthma offers these tips for surviving high pollen count days:

• Keep windows (car and house) closed. Instead run the air conditioner on the recycled setting.

• Change or clean air filters regularly.

• Pollen can settle into hair and onto clothes and skin, so shower when you get home or before going to bed.

• Wear sunglasses or glasses to keep pollen out of the eyes.

• Remove shoes before entering your home.

• For indoor pets, wash off their paws and wipe down their fur with a damp towel if they’ve been outside. This prevents pets from tracking pollen into the house.

• Participate in outdoor activities when pollen