COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — You may be experiencing some fall allergies right now. Some of us are here in the newsroom. I reached out to the El Paso County Health Department to see if there is any word on how much longer this should last. They say many people's allergies right now are because of ragweed. I'm told it will continue to bother many people until we see the first freeze- possibly next week.
As far as symptoms go, it's just what you would expect from a seasonal allergy- feeling plugged up, itchy eyes, runny nose, and scratchy throat.
Dr Paul Mayer with the El Paso County Health Department tells me you can soften the blow with over-the-counter medications. Some of those are nasal sprays and antihistamines- there are several non-drowsy options as well. Mayer says you should be able to get just what you need without a prescription.
Some though still might need to see a doctor if symptoms continue. Mayer suggests "Put a HEPA filter in your furnace or your air conditioner- you can actually filter some of those allergens out of the air. Also, you could get a HEPA filter for your vacuum cleaner. That will decrease the amount of allergy in contact with."
Another option to consider is avoiding outdoor exposure when pollen counts are highest, in the mornings. Mayer added, "Right now as the days are cooler if you have a lot of allergy symptoms, you may not want to exercise in the morning because that's when your pollen counts are going to be higher."
Even your four-legged family members may be contributing to your allergies, according to Dr. Mayer. "You may not actually be allergic to your dog, but your dog may be bringing a lot of pollen and dust and things from the outside, and those may be triggering allergies as well."
To find out when we might see that first freeze, and some relief from fall allergies, I turned to our meteorologist, Alan Rose. He tells me he doesn't foresee a freeze through the weekend, so hang in there if you're experiencing symptoms.
I've been dealing with them myself. I notice most of the congestion in my ears, but allergy medication and nasal sprays have been helping me.
Local towing company received at least double the number of calls during winter weather
A local towing company has received at least double the amount of phone calls Monday because of the winter storm.
