Allergy sufferers struggle under oppressive start to pollen season

TAMPA, Fla. - Tree and grass pollen are both at high levels across the Bay Area and will continue to be high through the weekend.

It is forcing people to reach for the tissue box and seek medical help. Physicians say patients are coming to them with a long list of symptoms.

"People are coming in with nasal congestion, runny nose, stuffiness, sometimes even sore throats, definitely cough, some people say they’re really hacking," said Dr. Amber Stephens, a family physician with Optum Health Group.

For people having all those symptoms including headaches, how do you know if it’s just allergies, or if you’re actually sick?

Dr. Stephens says there are some signs to help you differentiate between allergies and a cold.

"When you get sick, when you have a virus, like even just a regular cold, or if you have influenza or something else that’s circulating around, you generally feel a lot worse. You’re going to have that fatigue, the body aches, maybe even a little bit of a fever," said Dr. Stephens.

If it’s just allergies, physicians say you typically won’t feel like you got knocked off your feet.  The symptoms are more of just a nuisance.

Pollen forecast for the end of Feb. 2023 remains oppressive for allergy sufferers and car owners

"Often there’s no other people around you that are sick when it’s allergies, one of the questions i ask patients when they do come in and they’re having symptoms, anybody else sick," Dr. Stephens said.

It’s an important thing to consider when trying to decide on antihistamines, like Claritin or Allegra; or cough/cold medicine like Dayquil or Mucinex.

Physicians urge patients to consult with their doctors before taking over-the-counter medications, to make sure nothing interacts with other medications being taken at the same time.