TAMPA, Fla. — In Tampa Bay, it’s usually right around Valentine’s Day when seasonal allergies start to flare up again.
“So this week is Valentine’s Day. Over the weekend was the Super Bowl. The combination of the two seems to somehow kick start allergy season in Tampa Bay,” said Dr. Rima Sanka, allergist and co-owner of Advanced Allergy & Asthma Care.
With the recent warm weather we’ve had, that’s only made the allergy kickoff stronger.
“We've had more new patients, more sick visits, more phone calls with acute symptoms,” said Dr. Sanka.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you can expect to start noticing your symptoms increase over the next few weeks. Those include extreme congestion, itchy and watery eyes, sore throat, coughing and wheezing.
“And flaring up of already underlying conditions like eczema and atopic dermatitis, sinusitis,” said Dr. Sanka.
Experts suggest taking medication early and consistently.
Dr. Sanka also recommends making adjustments inside your home.
“Try to keep your indoor environment as pollen-free as possible. You can’t control your outdoors, but you can control your indoors,” she said.
That includes closing your windows, making sure your AC is running, changing your filters and changing clothes once you get inside.
“Because all that pollen you see on your windshield is also all over you," said Dr. Sanka.
Allergists say taking preventative measures can help keep symptoms from becoming severe.
“Severe allergies or just having chronic allergies definitely puts you at risk for increased frequency and severity of infections like sinusitis or bronchitis,” said Dr. Sanka.
“Don’t suffer in silence because allergies are very treatable,” she added.
