TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The spring season brings blooming flowers, rain showers, and uninvited guests, allergies.
With a mix of weather conditions in the Tampa Bay area, WFLA meteorologist Eric Stone said it’s perfect for trees to produce pollen.
“We’ve had a lot of rain this winter, and that’s also helping create that pollen count because of the El Niño that we’re seeing right now,” Stone said.
When the pollen whips into the air, doctors say it can create a perfect storm for those who suffer from asthma and allergies this season.
“Patients are definitely getting a lot more symptomatic. I’m getting a flux of people in over the last two weeks with a worsening of symptoms. It’s all one airway, so it impacts your lungs. If you have underlying asthma,” Doctor Farnaz Tabatabaian said.
A common misconception is rain helps alleviate pollen and wash the air out. But Stone said that is not the case.
“A heavy downpour will actually stir up any pollen that’s on the ground. But if you have steady rain for several days, then it could wash out the pollen. But yeah, that that’s pretty much a preconceived notion,” Stone said.
Doctors suggest using over-the-counter allergy medications to alleviate symptoms but in moderation.
“So, you know, as we age, you know, there’s things that can change in our body with regards to our eyes, and so having a nasal steroid constantly up our nose, you know, can impact,” Dr. Tabatabaian said.
