It’s time to protect yourself against pollen

TIPS TO HELP WITH ALLERGIES

• Keep pollen out of the house by taking your shoes off and leaving them by the door.

• People with severe allergies should shower if they've been outdoors a lot. They can also use saline drops to rinse tiny pollen grains out of the nose.

• If you have allergy symptoms lasting more than two weeks in a year; or if your symptoms are severe, consider seeing a board-certified allergy physician.

• Improve your indoor air quality by controlling dust mites, vacuuming once or twice weekly, using a HEPA air filter and avoiding mold by reducing moisture in the bathroom and using dehumidifiers.

Sources: Dr. David Redding and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

They’re back! Those pesky lime green particles that coat patio furniture and cars and wreak havoc on our eyes, noses and throats.

Pollen season is in full swing and it’s not going away for a while.

"Severe eye itching and redness has been one of the most common complaints," said Dr. David Redding of Redding Allergy and Asthma Center in Buckhead. "In some patients, that's been bothering them more than their nasal symptoms."

Patients are also suffering from itchy throats, he said.

Many people are allergic to pollen from pine trees (the green stuff), but oak, hickory, walnut, sweet gum and birch trees also produce pollen that isn’t as visible but is carried longer distances by the wind, said Redding. Tree pollen often lasts about six to eight weeks (mainly in March and April). In May, grass pollen becomes more of a problem.

Here some tips for dealing with allergies to pollen:

Red and itchy eyes: Oral antihistamines can help, said Redding, as well as over-the-counter eye drops such as Zaditor or Alaway. If you need to use eye drops for several weeks, longer-lasting prescription strength drops may be better.

Stuffy or runny noses: "There are now two over-the-counter steroids — that's a new development in the last year — Flonase and Nasacort. They can often help with nasal congestion better than the oral antihistamines can."

Zyrtec, Allegra or Claritin — or their generic equivalents — are good all-day oral antihistamines, Redding said. Benadryl is effective, but sedating. He recommends taking it at night, especially if your allergies are keeping you awake.

For children under 2, Redding suggests a nasal saline rinse. These help people of all ages, but pediatricians recommend them to minimize the use of medications for small children. "I like Ocean, because it's easy to remember, and Neilmed. If you use tap water, be sure to sterilize it."

Allergy shots: Immunotherapy "trains the immune system to ignore the allergen by giving small quantities of the allergen on a regular, repetitive basis," said Redding. "There is a new treatment available that consists of using sublingual tablets dissolved under the tongue." These can be taken at home, making it a more convenient option. Because these are new prescriptions, they are expensive, he said. Be sure to ask your doctor for coupons, which greatly reduce the cost.