Dreading pollen season in Georgia? Here are some tips

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Spring is two weeks away, and that means longer days and vacations. Unfortunately, for many, it also means pollen.

Stuffy nose, coughing, and sneezing. The spring season is underway and the pollen is making its way across the region.

Georgia allergist Dr. Robert Cartwright said you should be able to see the pollen in just a few days.

" I think over the next few days literally, I think we’re really going to have it started up, definitely in a week or two you can expect it to blanket your car like we’re used to seeing,” Cartwright said.

Cartwright also urges patients not to wait until the last minute to take their allergy medicine, especially those with asthma.

“One of the things we know is if you can stay ahead of the game you tend to treat things better not wait for things to flare up. Asthma can be triggered by allergy issues and so if you breathe in a lot of pollen and you’re having asthma issues it can trigger that to worsen,” said Cartwright.

One athlete says this pollen season isn’t going to ruin her softball season. Erica Walker is 10 steps ahead of her allergies.

“I take my allergy medicine in advance I go ahead and start it in February that way I kind of get ahead of it before it starts, I have a humidifier, and I also made sure my air filters in my car were changed after winter,” said Walker.

Cartwright says pollen entering your home is inevitable due to clothes and shoes, but there are ways to manage it.

“Washing your nose with salt water, with saline but actually cleaning your nose out can be very very helpful just like you may think washing your hands after coming from outside, as soon as u come inside, changing your clothes, leaving your shoes on the porch or the garage could help ultimately is hard to try to keep pollen away. It’s everywhere,” said Cartwright said.

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