September 1 marks the beginning of the meteorological fall season. It’s also weed allergy season in the Tennessee Valley with the primary pollen culprit being ragweed.
The past two days the weed pollen count has been in the moderate category, and it will likely only go up from here.
Seasonal allergies will certainly make you feel bad, but one thing we’ve become accustomed to - a mask - could help you out.
“The next few weeks ‘til really until the first frost will be peak for all weed pollens, but ragweed is definitely a big one,” Jessica Van Mason, M.D., Allergist at the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic, warned.
Chattanooga’s normal first frost is not until October 28, so we’ll have 2 months dealing with weed pollen allergies.
Dr. Van Mason said there are 3 prongs for managing allergies.
“The first one is avoid your triggers. So if you can, on the high pollen count days in the fall or spring, then stay inside or keep your windows up,” recommended Dr. Van Mason.
Second is the use of daily medications, such as a nasal steroid spray and antihistamines, and third, allergy shots.
“We can change your immune system to be able to tolerate those allergens and that’s when allergy shots come into play. So, it isn’t an overnight fix. It takes time to change your immune system to be able to tolerate those allergens, so it’s more of a weeks to months process,” Dr. Van Mason explained...