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Allergy season in NorCal: Last year was bad, so is this year. How to fight off the symptoms
Dr. Troy Scribner, an allergy specialist with Kaiser Permanente, joined KCRA 3 on Monday to share how people can deal with seasonal allergies
Updated: 9:50 PM PDT Apr 29, 2024
OTHER PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. SNEEZING ITCHY, WATERY EYES. YOU KNOW, IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN STIRS UP POLLEN, WHICH KICKS YOUR ALLERGIES INTO FULL GEAR. THAT’S SO BEAUTIFUL RIGHT NOW, BUT IT COMES AT A PRICE. DOCTOR TROY SCRIBNER, JOINING US NOW FOR SOME DETAILS ON THIS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. HE’S AN ALLERGY SPECIALIST WITH KAISER PERMANENTE. LET’S START WITH WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT ALLERGIES? NON-MEDICATION AND THEN WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE START MEDICATION? WELL, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO STARTING WITHOUT MEDICATION, THE SIMPLE THINGS ARE KEEPING YOUR NOSE AND EYES CLEAR, KEEPING YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR EYES IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINDY CONDITIONS OUTSIDE. FOR THE SIMPLE THINGS, WHEN YOU’RE GOING TO BE OUTDOORS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, WEARING SUNGLASSES OR SOME KIND OF EYE PROTECTION CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THE SIMPLE THINGS. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, RINSING OUT YOUR NOSE WHEN YOU COME IN AFTER A LONG TIME OUTDOORS, TAKING A SHOWER AFTERWARDS. THOSE ARE THE QUICK STARTS, SO GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. NO. SO YOU KNOW YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN CAN PREVENT THESE THESE SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIES. SO HOW DOES THIS SPRING COMPARE TO LAST THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS? IT’S AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. LAST YEAR WAS ACTUALLY EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH. IT JUST STARTED A LITTLE LATER. THE HEAVY RAINS LAST YEAR STAYED AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO POSTPONE SOME OF THE TREE AND GRASS POLLEN SEASON, BUT YET THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTS AND POLLEN COUNTS WERE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH THIS YEAR IS COMPARABLE, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE HAD VERY HEAVY LEVELS, ESPECIALLY A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE SPRING. RIGHT NOW, WE’RE MODERATELY HIGH WITH THE TREE POLLEN STILL DOMINATING, AND THE GRASS POLLEN IS ABOUT TO COME INTO FULL BLOOM SOON. OKAY, SO BACK TO THE MEDICATION QUESTION, DOCTOR. WHEN SHOULD SOMEBODY START MEDICATION AND WHAT SHOULD THEY START WITH? WHAT BRAND NAMES OR WHAT TYPE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH AN ORAL ANTIHISTAMINE IS OFTEN THE EASIEST AND OFTEN THE BEST PART TO START WITH, BECAUSE IT’S SO EASY, YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE A SINGLE TABLET, A DAILY LONG ACTING TABLET, WHETHER THIS BE CETIRIZINE OR FEXOFENADINE OR LORATADINE, COMMONLY KNOWN BY ZYRTEC, ALLEGRA AND CLARITIN, ALL OF THESE ARE OUTSTANDING MEDICATIONS AND CAN DO A GREAT JOB. BUT IF YOU’RE HAVING SYMPTOMS THAT ARE NOT BEING WELL CONTROLLED DESPITE THOSE MOVING ON TO A NASAL SPRAY, A STEROID NASAL SPRAY IN PARTICULAR AND THERE ARE MANY ON THE MARKET, THOSE ARE THE NEXT BEST STEP. BUT IT DOES TAKE ROOT TEEN USE YOU CAN’T JUST GET BY WITH ONCE IN A WHILE. IT REQUIRES REGULAR USE TO PREVENT THE SYMPTOMS. OKAY, GOTCHA. SO YOU GOT TO MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR ROUTINE. BE DISCIPLINED ABOUT TAKING IT AT THE RIGHT TIME. DOCTOR TROY SCRIBNER WITH KAISER PERMANENTE, WE APPRECIATE IT. IT’S VERY TIMELY THIS TIME OF YEAR. I THINK A LOT
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Allergy season in NorCal: Last year was bad, so is this year. How to fight off the symptoms
Dr. Troy Scribner, an allergy specialist with Kaiser Permanente, joined KCRA 3 on Monday to share how people can deal with seasonal allergies
Updated: 9:50 PM PDT Apr 29, 2024
Northern Californians can feel the effects of allergies all year, but spring is generally the worst time for allergy sufferers. March through June is the typical time when allergy sufferers can expect the worst symptoms from seasonal allergies. Dr. Troy Scribner, an allergy specialist with Kaiser Permanente, joined KCRA 3 anchors Ty Steele and Andrea Flores on Monday to talk about the best ways for people to deal with seasonal allergies. Symptoms can include itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, congestion, and a runny nose.What’s the best way to fight allergies without medication?“The simple things are keeping the nose and eyes clear. Keeping your hands out of your eyes is probably the most important thing, especially in the windy conditions outside. When you’re going to be outdoors for extended periods of time, wearing sunglasses or some kind of eye protection can help with some of the simple things. But other than that, rinsing out your nose after coming in from a long time outdoors, taking a shower afterwards – those are the quick starts.”How does this year’s allergy season compare to last year’s?“Last year was exceptionally high, but it just started a little later. The heavy rains last year were able to postpone the tree and grass pollen season. But yet, the actual pollen counts were exceptionally high. This year is comparable, and we have certainly had very high levels, and started a little earlier in the Spring. Right now, we are moderately high with tree pollen still dominating and the grass pollens about to come in at full bloom soon.”When should someone start medication, and what should they use initially?“Starting with an oral antihistamine is the easiest and best part to start with because it’s so easy. You go ahead and take a single tablet, a daily long-acting tablet — commonly known by Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin – all of these are outstanding medications. And they can do a great job. But if you’re having symptoms that are not well-controlled by those, moving on to a nasal spray, a steroid nasal spray in particular – and there are many on the market – those are the next best step. But it does take routine use. You can’t just get by with once in a while. It requires regular use to prevent the symptoms.”
Northern Californians can feel the effects of allergies all year, but spring is generally the worst time for allergy sufferers.
March through June is the typical time when allergy sufferers can expect the worst symptoms from seasonal allergies.
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Dr. Troy Scribner, an allergy specialist with Kaiser Permanente, joined KCRA 3 anchors Ty Steele and Andrea Flores on Monday to talk about the best ways for people to deal with seasonal allergies.
Symptoms can include itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, congestion, and a runny nose.
What’s the best way to fight allergies without medication?
“The simple things are keeping the nose and eyes clear. Keeping your hands out of your eyes is probably the most important thing, especially in the windy conditions outside. When you’re going to be outdoors for extended periods of time, wearing sunglasses or some kind of eye protection can help with some of the simple things. But other than that, rinsing out your nose after coming in from a long time outdoors, taking a shower afterwards – those are the quick starts.”
How does this year’s allergy season compare to last year’s?
“Last year was exceptionally high, but it just started a little later. The heavy rains last year were able to postpone the tree and grass pollen season. But yet, the actual pollen counts were exceptionally high. This year is comparable, and we have certainly had very high levels, and started a little earlier in the Spring. Right now, we are moderately high with tree pollen still dominating and the grass pollens about to come in at full bloom soon.”
When should someone start medication, and what should they use initially?
“Starting with an oral antihistamine is the easiest and best part to start with because it’s so easy. You go ahead and take a single tablet, a daily long-acting tablet — commonly known by Zyrtec, Allegra and Claritin – all of these are outstanding medications. And they can do a great job. But if you’re having symptoms that are not well-controlled by those, moving on to a nasal spray, a steroid nasal spray in particular – and there are many on the market – those are the next best step. But it does take routine use. You can’t just get by with once in a while. It requires regular use to prevent the symptoms.”
(source)