OREGON, Ohio — Spring is here, which means the arrival of seasonal allergies.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recent research has shown that pollen seasons start 20 days earlier, are 10 days longer and have 21% more pollen than in 1990.
This time of year is considered early spring and some trees -- specifically oak, maple, birch and sycamore -- might be causing those with allergies trouble. They don't have big showy flowers but they still release pollen.
"Some of the environmental control measures we recommend is keeping the windows closed and using your heat or air conditioner instead of leaving the windows open," Dr. Avi Dorrow, an allergist with ProMedica, said.
Another simple preventative measure is to change your clothes after being outside. Dorrow said if your kids are playing in the grass or you're doing yard work, a fresh set of clothes afterward can help alleviate allergy issues.
"These things that we're talking about, whether it's pollens or dust mites or cat or dog dander, are basically harmless," Dorrow said. "They don't really cause disease, but what happens is in some people, their bodies, their immune system start to perceive pollens or dust mites or molds or these kinds of things as harmful and so they get symptoms as those they are fighting off an infection."
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