How to prepare for an early allergy season
Reporter: Alexis Fernandez
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Pollen, it's a sign allergy season is just around the corner, and it could be coming quicker than you want.
Dr. David Friedman of Allergy Partners of Arizona says mother nature is about to wreak havoc on our bodies.
"I think it makes it worse on our respiratory tissues, our sinuses in our lungs, even our skin," he said.
And he explains how the tiny irritations float so freely in the wind.
"It certainly can be challenging because of the buoyancy of the pollen that we get here," he continued.
But three things can help you stay symptom free.
"Nasal saline, nasal medication, there's various allergy pills," he said.
And despite what you might think, staying inside won't necessarily protect you.
"It is tougher for a person to hike in the desert with pollen, but on the other hand if you stay in doors, in a vacuum, [you're] going to tend to lose some of your host defenses," he told 9OYS.
And then there is Valley Fever, a fungal infection found in soil and carried through the air.
Our own Chief Meteorologist Erin Christiansen was in the hospital and out of work for nearly two months because of the infection.
"The ball of fungus grew in my lung so big, they actually had to cut out about 20 percent of my lung to remove it, and then treat it with medication for a full year," she said.
If you're experiencing severe symptoms, see your doctor like Erin did. And the bottom line, do your best to be prepared.
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