For the millions of Americans on the West Coast living with allergies, the current drought in that region is only making it worse.
Drought conditions causes pollen from trees, grass and weeds to collect on the ground and get picked up by the wind instead of being washed away by the rain. In addition, pollen counts increase in drought conditions due to how plants react to the lack of water.
"As a plant is stressed, as it's dying, as it's not thriving, it's going to try to survive. So, it's going to kick out more pollen," Dr. Raffi Tachidjian told CBS News.
Tachidjian, an allergy and immunology specialist, said that patient visits are up in this part of the country due to normally manageable allergies making lives miserable for patients in these unusual conditions. Here are some tips to follow to help you survive high pollen season:
- Close windows and doors. With so much pollen in the air, you want to limit the amount of it that gets into your home.
- Protect your eyes. While outside, glasses act as a shield for your eyes against pollen and other airborne allergens. Wear sunglasses or, if you need corrective lenses, opt for your glasses instead of your contacts.
- Change and wash up. When returning home, change your clothes and wash at least your hands, face and hair.
- Stay inside. If pollen is high, especially if it's windy out, stay inside whenever possible.
- Air purifiers. No matter how much you try to limit exposure, pollen will likely make it's way into your house. Investing in a home air purifier will help protect you and your family against the sources of their allergies.
Contact US Air Purifiers for help finding the best air purifier for allergies today.