{"id":5772,"date":"2015-04-21T08:44:02","date_gmt":"2015-04-21T12:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/?p=5772"},"modified":"2015-04-08T08:44:13","modified_gmt":"2015-04-08T12:44:13","slug":"spring-has-sprung-bcbsnc-combatting-seasonal-allergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nchealthplans.com\/news\/2015\/04\/spring-has-sprung-bcbsnc-combatting-seasonal-allergies\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring has Sprung – BCBSNC Combatting Seasonal Allergies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Beautiful<\/a>The sun is shining, the air is warm and breezy, birds are chirping and flowers are blooming.\u00a0 Spring has finally sprung and with it, an onslaught of seasonal allergies.<\/a>\u00a0 As much as we may love this time of year, we don’t love the runny nose, itchy eyes and other symptoms that often accompany the coming of spring.\u00a0 As the trees start to bloom and the pollen is released, an estimated 35 million Americans fall prey to seasonal allergies and their annoying effects.\u00a0 Although there is no real cure for spring allergy sufferers, there are some ways you can combat seasonal allergies through medication and lifestyle habits.<\/p>\n

The number one cause of spring allergies is pollen,<\/a> and if you live in North Carolina, you probably knew this already.\u00a0 Every year, porches, cars and driveways are literally covered in a dusty yellow layer of annoying pollen.\u00a0 Basically, pollen consists of tiny grains that are released into the air by trees, grasses and weeds and believe it or not, pollen actually serves a purpose.\u00a0 It is vital for the fertilization of other plants, which is what makes spring so verdant and beautiful.\u00a0 However, when pollen grains get into the nose of someone who is susceptible to spring allergies, it can cause serious trouble in the immune system, which sees the pollen as foreign invaders and releases antibodies.\u00a0 Antibodies are the things our bodies produce to attack allergens and this leads to the release of chemicals called histamines into the blood stream.\u00a0 Histamines are what ultimately trigger that runny nose or itchy eyes.<\/p>\n

As you may well know, the higher the pollen count, the greater the suffering for those susceptible to spring allergies and pollen can travel for miles.\u00a0 Most local weather channels actually make a note of the pollen count in your area during the daily forecast, which may help you determine how symptomatic you are going to be that day.\u00a0 Allergy symptoms are especially high on windy days as the pollen travels through the air further and faster and the pollen count is usually highest in the morning.\u00a0 Inversely, rainy days can actually lower the pollen count as the rain washes away the allergens.\u00a0 Perhaps for allergy sufferers, enjoying an occasional spring rain is in order as it can offer some well needed relief.<\/p>\n

The most common symptoms of spring allergies include runny nose, watery or itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing and dark circles underneath the eyes (possibly because it’s harder to sleep when you are coughing and sneezing).\u00a0 Although it is impossible to completely avoid spring allergies if you live in a place where trees and grasses abound, you can ease your symptoms by avoiding your main allergy triggers, such as mold or pollen.<\/p>\n

Some ways to combat spring allergies include:<\/strong><\/p>\n