Morgantown, W. Va. – A mild winter season with bursts of warmer than usual temperatures can lead to an early spring bloom, which means allergy season could start earlier than normal. According to MedExpress, a walk-in medical care provider that serves nearly three million patients each year, an early allergy season paired with a late cold and flu season can lead to seasonal symptom overlaps such as runny noses, sinus pressure and headaches making it difficult for patients to distinguish between late winter colds and early spring allergies.
“It’s easy to understand how cold and allergies symptoms can be confused, particularly during ‘in-between months’ such as February and March,” said Dr. Dheeraj Taranath, Regional Medical Director, MedExpress. “If you notice that you typically develop a ‘cold’ during this time of year, your cold many in fact be allergies, which can begin as early as February. Often it’s best to consult a health care professional to help determine what’s causing your symptoms and identify the best treatment options.”
As reports of a late 2016 flu season continue, understanding the differences between illness and allergies is important. Colds typically last 3-14 days, while allergies can last days to months, or as long as you are exposed to the allergen. Allergy symptoms can appear immediately, whereas cold symptoms can take a few days to develop.
Allergy sufferers may have a few more weeks of reprieve before allergy season is well under way, but individuals suffering from allergies can help prepare themselves for the upcoming season by:
- Keeping windows and doors closed to prevent pollen from getting into the home once warm weather hits.
- Showering and changing clothes before bed to remove allergens that might cause irritation overnight.
- Regularly monitoring local allergy forecasts for high pollen counts.
- Avoiding early morning outdoor activity − a peak pollen time.
- Avoiding dry, windy days, which can send pollen flying into eyes and nostrils. A walk after a rain storm can provide relief since rain washes away pollen.
Many seasonal allergy symptoms are easily treated with routine or prescription medications such as nasal steroids and antihistamines; however some allergies may require an interaction with a health care professional to determine if further care is needed.
Community-based urgent care centers, such as MedExpress, are staffed by a full medical team to help allergy sufferers find relief. With no appointments necessary and most insurance accepted, MedExpress centers offer basic wellness and prevention services, employer health services and can treat injuries and illnesses, including broken bones, cuts, burns, colds and flu. They can also handle lab work, minor surgeries and X-rays.
