Downtown Minneapolis

Pay Online Link

Tips to Prepare for Allergy Season from Kare 11 News

KARE 11 News at 10 (Recorded Apr 9, 2018, Allergy season) from Raguse family on Vimeo.

The snow and cold in Minnesota has held down pollen counts, but allergy season is ready as soon as things bloom.

MINNEAPOLIS – If you look closely, the trees have buds just waiting to open up. And when they finally do, and when the snow finally melts, the pollen will begin flying through the air

“We’re waiting for it to start,” said Dr. Gary Berman of Allergy & Asthma Specialists.

Dr. Berman says the weather has delayed things, but there’s no stopping allergy season.

And if you’re someone who’s really affected, there are some things you can do to get ready, beginning with vacuuming frequently – even your drapes – and keeping your windows shut.

“We tell people who have serious allergies, if they’re outside all day, they should go home and shower, take their clothes off, put their pajamas on and not carry the pollen into bed with them,” Berman said.

Dr. Berman suggests washing your bedding weekly with hot water.

If you have pets, they have dander, which a lot of people are allergic to. But during the summer they also carry in a lot of pollen. So doctors say give them a bath once a week

If your goal is preventing allergies, Dr. Berman doesn’t believe in cleaning air ducts.

“There’s really never been a study that proves that that works,” he said.

And he says air filters for your HVAC don’t really stop pollen.

“The pollen goes straight through that,” Berman said.

But he does recommend what’s called a HEPA filter in an air purifier in your bedroom.

Dr. Berman already saw patients with symptoms before we got all this recent snow. And right now that’s all that’s holding back the full force of allergy season.

Author: Lou Raguse
Published: 9:38 PM CDT April 9, 2018
Updated: 10:27 PM CDT April 9, 2018

 

Allergy & Asthma Specialists, PA