Allergist Gives Advice On Dealing with Ragweed Pollen Allergies

Originally posted on WRBC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – You may be dealing with some allergies right now like a scratchy throat or runny nose and eyes.

Dr. Weily Soong, an allergist and immunologist with AllerVie Health, says we’re dealing with quite a few allergens right now. The biggest one is ragweed, but there are also other weed pollens in the air. He says mold is also growing outside because it helps decompose falling leaves.

He says any body part in contact with the air can react to the allergens like eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, and lungs.

Unfortunately, Dr. Soong says we deal with all of this a lot longer than we used to.

“Starting my career about 16 years ago, fall would end somewhere around November but now December is getting quite warm and so we’ve seen grass season last a lot longer, weed season, mold season last a lot longer,” said Dr. Weily Soong.

This being said, we could be in the fall allergy season for a bit longer.

Dr. Soong says getting an intra-nasal steroid is the most effective way to deal with allergies but you can also limit time outdoors, take over-the-counter medicine like an anti-histimine, and get an indoor air purifier.