Spring weather in Atlanta allows for things like daily sunbathing, flip-flops all the time and outdoor runs – but it also means that the entire city seems to be sprinkled with pollen as thought it’s pixie dust. There’s nothing good about this type of pixie dust, unless you’re a flower trying to procreate. For us humans, its sneeze-inducing, eye-watering and sinus-clogging qualities make the first couple weeks of spring utterly bittersweet.
It can be difficult not to let allergies bog you down, but there are certainly ways to deal with the sniffles and soreness until the pollen dusting subsides.
1. Stock up on over-the-counter allergy meds that are available at CVS. Claritin, Allegra, Benadryl and Zyrtec are all medications that will help alleviate allergy symptoms. Figure out which one will work best for your symptoms. Drugs like Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Zyrtec-D and Benadryl Allergy and Sinus contain both an antihistamine and a decongestant. So if you’re suffering from seasonal allergies that keep you congested, a combination allergy medication like one of these will do the trick.
2. Go to the health center if your symptoms are severe or over-the-counter drugs don’t seem to be helping. Allergies can be tricky, and can sometimes feel like a prolonged cold if you’ve never suffered from them before. Atlanta tends to evoke allergy symptoms out of people who have never previously experienced them. If you’re new to town, chances are that your cold isn’t peculiarly long – get to a doctor to see where your symptoms are really coming from. They can give you prescription allergy medications, which typically target multiple allergy symptoms.
3. Use the basics: tissues, throat lozenges and eye drops. For the time being, do your best to try to stay comfortable. While it doesn’t exactly feel good to basically breathe in pure pollen as opposed to air, do what you can to lessen the severity of your symptoms. Carry tissues with you and be sure to take medications regularly.
4. Know that it’ll all be over soon. And after the dust wave passes, we’ve got a wonderful spring season filled with all sorts of flowers and plants to enjoy. Right now, it might feel like the only place the pollen is settling is inside your sinuses, but we promise that it’ll subside.