Spring is quite literally in the air.
“My eyes get watery and I start choking and people think I have COVID and I don’t, it’s just allergies,” said Misty Rojo, who was visiting the Central Coast from Southern California on Thursday. “It kind of feels like I have the flu but I don't. My nose runs and I cough a lot and sneeze.”
Allergist Dr. Courtney Ramos says there are four different kinds of pollens: trees, grasses, weeds and molds.
Rojo thinks she’s sensitive to at least a few of them.
“Plants, trees, and pollen,” Rojo said.
Dr. Ramos says allergies can be an issue year-round on the Central Coast.
If you're allergic to grass, you can expect those allergies to be a little worse in the spring.
If you're allergic to weeds or mold, allergies could worsen in the fall.
“When rainstorms occur, it will cause the grasses to pollinate at high levels,” Ramos said.
She explains that it can be hard to tell the difference between a cold and allergies but allergies can cause more itching.
“It affects people’s ability to sleep, it affects the ability to be present, it affects our ability to be productive in school and lifestyle,” Dr. Ramos continued.
If you're prone to seasonal allergies, you can't really avoid them while being outdoors, but Dr. Ramos says there are things you can do to help, such as changing out of your clothes right when you get home and then hopping into the shower.
She says you can also wear a mask while outdoors.
