Windom Allergy, Asthma, Sinus

The less hectic pace of summer could be just the right time to consider taking a definitive step to control your allergies.  If you have allergic asthma, runny nose/hay fever, or sinus problems, you probably have a medicine cabinet full of antihistamines, inhalers, and nose sprays to help you limp through the various allergy seasons.  Is there a better answer?  Yes, there is, and it’s called desensitization. Allergen desensitization has been around for over 100 years, often referred to as allergen immunotherapy or allergy shots.  This remains the most effective way to ‘turn off’ your airborne allergies.  Another option, for those...

Spring is in the air, and so are billions of tiny pollens that trigger allergy symptoms in millions of people. Our tree pollen season has arrived with oak pollen being the most problematic this time of year! Symptoms may include runny nose, sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy watery eyes, and dark circles under the eyes. For those with asthma, symptoms may include wheezing, cough and chest tightness. There are also simple steps you can take to limit your exposure to the pollen or molds that cause your symptoms: • Keep your windows closed at night and if possible, use air conditioning, which...

  According to Accuweather , we should be breathing easier in June. Ragweed, tree pollen and grass pollen are historically low to moderate in the month of June.

Expect medium pollen levels for May in Southwest Florida. Less if we get more rain! The key culprits for this time of year are Oak (tapering off), Bermuda Grass and Hickory. From PollenLibrary.com    

You probably barely survived the March Live Oak pollen implosion, and hopefully, by now it's rained taking some of that pollen out of the air. In April, we welcome Ragweed, but not to worry, historically pollen counts for ragweed, grass and trees are on the low side. We recommend closing the windows, staying indoors when windy out, and don’t clean gutters or use a blower on the patio or driveway. Allergy medications, both nasal sprays and pills, should be started in late January and continued until we get a few good April rains.

Live Oak allergy is the most troublesome pollen for spring allergy sufferers. The yellow-green oak pollen coats everything from your car to the sidewalk — and even the grass-heavy pollen can linger in the air for weeks depending on whether or not we receive any rain.   The oak tree pollen we get over those 2 months makes up 80% of all our combined pollen for the year (grass, weeds, and other trees). The resulting allergy and asthma symptoms can be miserable. Classic spring “hay fever” symptoms can include nasal congestion and drainage, sneezing, itching and eye irritation. And if you are...

February's worst pollen offenders? Bald Cypress and Juniper. Counts are moderate right now. Alas, Jupiter is a common ground cover given it's extremely resistant to heat and drought. Native to swampy conditions, the bald cypress is another "survivor," also able to withstand dry, sunny weather and is hardy in USDA climate zones 5 through 10. The bald cypress tree can survive for centuries. Growing slowly, the bald cypress will get taller and taller for roughly 200 years, reaching heights of up to 150 feet. The trees usually live for 600 years, though some specimens are said to have survived for more than...

Feeling snuffly? Stuffy? The culprit could be Juniper. This common South Florida landscape plant is also an allergan for some people. From:   http://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/junipers.html These are supremely simple-to-grow plants that don't get too tall, spread wide, and are often used for low-maintenance groundcover plants. Their silvery or blue-green color fades to more of a soft green as the plants mature, and they play an effective, understudy role in landscaping - often surrounding a focal point such as a showy palm or small flowering tree. Builders landscape many new homes in Florida with these plants because of their hardy nature and ease...