Fall Allergies - KOAM TV 7

   The smell of fall isn't the only thing in the air.

"This year has been a lot worse as far as the fall allergies for me" says Sharon Henderson

     Sharon Henderson is the Director of Maternal and Neonatal services at Freeman and knows all about staying healthy. But there's one problem she can't seem to get over.

 "I couldn't function I mean I really couldn't, my eyes were swollen, almost completely shut, coughing, sneezing, itching, you name it I pretty much had it" says Henderson.

     The symptoms kicked up three weeks ago.  As an ear, nose and throat doctor at Freeman, Nathan Box says he's seeing several more patients a day compared to this time last year.

 "In the Midwest in the fall we have a lot of ragweed which is the prime fall allergy and I think the numbers are approximately twenty percent of Americans are allergic to ragweed" says Box.

Because we didn't see a freeze this last winter, plants are thriving which is why some doctors say your allergies are going to seem a lot worse this year.

 "Last winter and spring was more mild than usual and so that kind of pertains to a, longer allergy season in the fall" says Box.

Doctor Box's advice to others, see your doctor, you may get a nasal steroid spray and try to avoid outside work. As for Henderson, the war on allergies continues, until the ragweed dies out.

 "My doctor actually put me on three different antihistamines, they netty pot, I've been doing nasal steroid and I even went so far as to get an air purifier to put in my bedroom, it's been so bad" says Henderson.