It's not just you -- this allergy season really is the worst! Dr. Duane Wong with Arizona Allergy Associates in Phoenix blames your extra bad allergies this year on the unseasonably warm weather that made the plants bloom like crazy.
Think you've tried everything? Dr. Wong shared the top five things you should know that can help get you through this awful allergy season.
1. Keep your windows shut even when it's cooler outside
That also means stay inside.
"Pollen counts are highest at night," Dr. Wong said. "They don't start to go down until maybe 10 in the morning so what you want to do is confine your exercise activities, outdoor activities to the daytime hours, not so much in the early evening."
2. Try a HEPA Filter
"It's basically a room air cleaner that you plug in," he said.
3. Don't air dry your laundry outside
"Laundry should be dried in the dryer during spring," he said. "A lot of us try to save energy and hang our laundry outside, which makes total sense here in Arizona, but not during allergy season."
4. Allergy-proofing your yard won't help
"The pollen particles are microscopic," Dr. Wong said. "They can blow up to 400 miles on a windy day, so cutting down your neighbor's olive tree during the spring is probably not going to make that much of a difference for you."
5. Allergy meds aren't one-size-fits-all
"Intranasal sprays are the ones that really work the best," he said. "You might have to try a few to find out what works best for you.
"Allergy shots or desensitization treatment are a pretty good idea in patients where the medications aren't working or if you find that you're using more medication than you're comfortable with."
The success rate of allergy shots is more than 80 percent, according to Dr. Wong. He says his patients who get the shot also see fewer sinus infections, pneumonia and bronchitis.
