SUFFERERS THIS IS THEIR LIFE , EVERY SPRING. >> IT GETS TERRIBLE, IT’S YOU, RUNNY NOSE, EYES, EVERYTHING. THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. JENNIFER IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES : YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MRS. JOHNSON IS TALKING ABOUT. NATURE IS RESPONDING TO THE WARMER WEATHER AND LIFEBRIDGE HEALTH AFFILIATED ASTHMA AND ALLERGY SPECIALIST DR. JONATHAN MATZ SAYS HE DOESN’T NEED A GROUNDHOG TO TELL HIM SPRING HAS SPRUNG. THE TREE POLLEN HAS PATIENTS ALREADY COMING IN FOR APPOINTMENTS. >> THE HALLMARK OF SEASONAL ALLERGIES IS REALLY ITCH. SO ITCHY EYES, ITCHY NOSE, SNEEZING. STUFFY NOSE, POSTNASAL DRIP, AND SOMETIMES COUGH. OBVIOUSLY THAT’S AN ISSUE THESE DAYS WITH COVID. JENNIFER DR. MAT SAYS IF YOU : NORMALLY GET SPRING ALLERGIES THE SYMPTOMS SHOULDN’T MAKE YOU AFRAID THAT YOU HAVE COVID. IF THE SYMPTOMS ARE NEW AND YOU TEST NEGATIVE FOR COVID OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE IN TREATING ALLERGIES. >> LIKE ALLEGRA CLARITIN OR ZYRTEC OR THE GENETICS OF THOSE SOME OF THE NASAL SPRAYS LIKE FLONASE. THOSE CAN REALLY HELP ALLERGY SYMPTOMS A LOT. JENNIFER: AND DR. MATZ SAYS THIS ON WEDNESDAY THE POLLEN COUNT WAS 97, BUT DURING THE PEAK IN APRIL IT WILL REACH 1000. MASKS WILL HELP REDUCE SYMPTOMS >> BECAUSE THE MASKS BLOCK THE POLLEN FROM GETTING UP INTO YOUR RESPIRATORY AREAS. >> I’M ALMOST CERTAIN THAT IT HAS BECAUSE I HAVEN’T HAD TO USE MY MEDICINE AS MUCH. JENNIFER AND TO PROTECT YOURSELF : YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO OUT BY CERTAIN TYPE OF MASK. DR. MATZ SAYS PRETTY MUC
Will wearing face masks help alleviate allergy symptoms?
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Updated: 4:29 AM CST Mar 12, 2021
Do you have a runny nose? How about a cough? In a pandemic, these could be considered COVID-19 symptoms, but for allergy sufferers, this is their life every spring. Dr. Jonathan Matz, asthma and allergy specialist with LifeBridge Health in Maryland, said he doesn’t need a groundhog to tell him spring has sprung. The tree pollen has patients already coming in for appointments."The hallmark of seasonal allergies is really itch. So itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, stuffy nose, postnasal drip and sometimes cough. Obviously, that's an issue these days with COVID," Matz said.Matz said if you normally get spring allergies, the symptoms shouldn't make you afraid that you have COVID-19. If the symptoms are new and you test negative for COVID-19, over-the-counter medication can be very effective in treating allergies. "Allegra, Claritin or Zyrtec or the generics of those, and even a nasal spray — like Fluticasone, Flonase — those types of things can really help allergy symptoms a lot," Matz said.Matz said this is just the beginning. On Wednesday, the pollen count was 97, but during the peak in April, it will reach 1,000. Masks could help reduce symptoms, he added."Because the masks blocks the pollen from getting up into your respiratory areas," Matz said.
Do you have a runny nose? How about a cough? In a pandemic, these could be considered COVID-19 symptoms, but for allergy sufferers, this is their life every spring.
Dr. Jonathan Matz, asthma and allergy specialist with LifeBridge Health in Maryland, said he doesn’t need a groundhog to tell him spring has sprung. The tree pollen has patients already coming in for appointments.
"The hallmark of seasonal allergies is really itch. So itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, stuffy nose, postnasal drip and sometimes cough. Obviously, that's an issue these days with COVID," Matz said.
Matz said if you normally get spring allergies, the symptoms shouldn't make you afraid that you have COVID-19. If the symptoms are new and you test negative for COVID-19, over-the-counter medication can be very effective in treating allergies.
"Allegra, Claritin or Zyrtec or the generics of those, and even a nasal spray — like Fluticasone, Flonase — those types of things can really help allergy symptoms a lot," Matz said.
Matz said this is just the beginning. On Wednesday, the pollen count was 97, but during the peak in April, it will reach 1,000. Masks could help reduce symptoms, he added.
"Because the masks blocks the pollen from getting up into your respiratory areas," Matz said.
