April 4, 2003
Albany - A horrible day for allergy suffers - On Friday, the pollen county hit its highest since 1999. The count today was 4,700. That's more than triple last year's peek count of 1,500.
The pollen nightmare is sending many South Georgians straight to the doctor. A quick shot gives major relief to allergy sufferer Brett Kirkland. "I've suffered from allergies for about 10 years."
Kirkland's allergy enemies include trees, grass, and dust, which makes doing many daily task extremely uncomfortable. "I don't let my allergies stop me from going outside, but I do pay the price for the activities I have to do like mowing the grass," said Kirkland.
On Friday, the pollen count hit a 4 year high with 77 particles of pollen per cubic meter of air. That scientific statistic is sending dozens of people to allergy specialist Dr. Dennis Robinson. "This, of course, is our busiest time of the year."
But before you head to the doctor, try some of these tips. "Use a HEPA filter. They only cost $100 or so. Don't sleep with you windows open and avoid outside activities when pollen is at it's worse," said Dr. Robinson.
Dr. Robinson stands behind over-the-counter drugs such as Clariton and Nasal Crom. If these medicines don't give you relief, ask your doctor about allergy shots.
The good news is allergy season doesn't last forever, the bad news is it just seems to. The weather might provide a break from the pollen. Rain is in the forecast for this weekend, and a good rain will wash away pollen. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for the pollen build back up.
Posted at 4:25PM by kathryn.murchison@walb.com
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