Fall allergies have arrived as summer draws to an end

DAYTON — As we head into the final days of summer, you may be experiencing allergy symptoms.

News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott says the reason why allergy season is so bad right now has to with ragweed.

Ragweed is one of the highest producers of pollen, making one billion grains of pollen each season, causing for the worst of allergy season in the fall, according to the CDC.

Ohioans tend to suffer from allergies right now at the beginning of fall and Daytonians are no exception.

“It does change your whole mood; change your whole day,” said Keon McCarroll. “You know, just by not being able to breathe and sneezing.”

The majority of people experience symptoms of sneezing, congestion, a runny nose, and red watery itchy eyes.

McDermott says allergies can be more severe causing people to have asthma attacks which can vary from mild to severe.

“It can be debilitating for some people, right?” said Doctor Joseph Allen of Premier Health. “What I talk to patients about is really starting those allergy medications about a month beforehand, if you can, if it starts to affect you now, get on it as quickly as you can now, take them daily, stay ahead of this.”

To try and prevent those symptoms from happening to you, McDermott says there are some proactive things you can do:

Avoid opening your windows and leaving them open when pollen is high which in the morning and afternoon
Shower when you come inside
Wash your pets as well or least wipe them down
Vacuum and clean the inside of your home as well as the air conditioning unit

“Check your furnace air filter,” Dr. Allen said. “We sometimes neglect those and don’t change them as often as we should. And if you’re changing them, they can help.”

The amount of ragweed pollen typically is highest between 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., according to the National Allergy Bureau.