SEATTLE, Wash. — Today is the first day of Spring, which means allergy season is creeping into Washington.
A new study by the Allergy and Asthma Foundation ranks Seattle as the 68th worst place to live for people with seasonal allergies. Spokane is ranked 82nd.
Dr. Carrie Jenner with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health tells us that’s a surprisingly low spot since we are surrounded by trees and flowers this time of year.
“We definitely see tree pollens first, then the beautiful flowers in Spring and grasses in the Summer but tree pollen causes issues,” Jenner said.
She tells us outdoor allergies are more of a nuisance than anything else.
“Seasonal allergies usually do not lead to anaphylaxis,” Jenner said. “We see that more with food like peanuts or tree nuts, it’s very rare for someone to have an anaphylactic allergy to pollen, that’s very rare.”
She says over-the-counter medicine options work well enough for most, but if they don’t, call your doctor.
“If you start having sinus pressure then you want to see your doctor it can lead to sinus and ear infections,” Jenner said. Doctors say the best way to prevent allergies is to always wash your hands and face after going outside, that way you don’t have pollen near your eyes and nose.
The pollen counts are on the low side for the Seattle area today, but once this weather dries out, that will likely start to change.
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