VERY HIGH RANGE: Allergy Alert for cedar tree pollen. This is an extreme exposure situation. Severe symptoms may be expected in pollen-sensitive individuals. The more seriously allergic people should be advised to stay indoors as much as possible. This is especially true if a person has pollen sensitivity or allergic bronchial asthma.
The Board-Certified Allergists at the OAAC are available to speak to the media on this subject or any subject pertaining to allergies and asthma.
HOW: The best way to combat these allergens is to stay in filtered air. OAAC’s board-certified allergists recommend avoiding allergy triggers is the best way to reduce symptoms. These triggers include: Wash your hands often. Pollen can stick to your hands when you touch something outside or a pet, if it has been outside.
Limit your time outdoors when pollen counts are high.
Wear a dust mask that people like carpenters use (found in hardware stores) when you need to do outdoor tasks such as raking leaves.
Don’t wear your outdoor work clothes in the house; they may have pollen on them.
Clean and replace furnace and air conditioner filters often. Using HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters is recommended, which remove at least 99 percent of pollen, as well as animal dander, dust and other particles.
Use a clothes dryer rather than outdoor clothes lines.
Some other options include medications like nasal sprays and antihistamines, but it needs to be the correct medicine and should be used continuously throughout the season.
A board-certified allergist can diagnose allergies, and determine the specific triggers that cause them, through simple tests. The allergists at OAAC evaluate and manage patients of all ages. The main clinic is on the Oklahoma Health Center campus. For patient convenience, satellite offices are in Edmond, Norman, Midwest City and Yukon.