MACON, Ga. — Spring has sprung!
If you have been outside and noticed yellow-greenish dust on your car or the ground, it means pollen season.
But sometimes spring flowers can call for seasonal allergies for millions of Americans.
Here in Central Georgia, it seems to be the warm weather that "springs" out those allergies.
Over 60 percent of Georgia is made up of pine forests, which can irritate the sinuses.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, an estimated 81 million people in the United States are allergic to pollen, grasses, and more this time of year.
Allergy symptoms include sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion and more.
Jason Buckert is the Piedmont Macon Emergency Room's Assistant Medical Director.
"Winter is ending, spring is coming, we've got some nice weather coming up, it's a good time to be outside despite all the pollen," Buckert said.
Per doctors' orders, over-the-counter medicines like Claritin and Zyrtec as well as nasal sprays can help alleviate those allergies.
"You can still treat the symptoms and if you don't feel very short of breath, you probably don't need to seek medical attention," Buckert said. "However, if you do begin to experience shortness of breath or lightheadedness, or feelings of rapid heart rate, that would be the time to come to the ER or the urgent care and get that checked out."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18.9% of children and 25.7% of adults have seasonal allergies.
"A lot of people do treat this at home and that's certainly an option," Buckert said. "If you feel like you need to be seen, urgent or your primary care doctor is probably your best option."
Linda Bishop and her husband drove from Florida to Macon to look at the cherry blossoms.
"You just always feel tired when the allergies are kind of attacking you," Bishop said. "I just power through."
Bishop says she has had allergies for years, so some of the preventative measures she takes are pretty routine to her at this point.
"Over the years I've taken allergy shots, I'm not taking any right at the moment but I take two antihistamines, one in the morning, one at night, use nasal rinses, nose sprays, eyedrops, everything that it takes," Bishop said.
Daniel Chanlyvong is the co-owner of Eggroll Boyz in Alpharetta.
Chanlyvong came to Macon to be a vendor for the Cherry Blossom's Food Truck Frenzy and brought two bottles of Claritin along the way.
"Every year, I have to take allergy medicine," Chanlyvong said. "I get runny noses, congestion, puffy eyes."
He says although the blossoms are pretty, those with allergies should admire them from a distance.
"Once they start blooming, it gets bad," Chanlyvong said. "All the yellow, all the pollen's everywhere, they're pretty but yeah they affect me greatly."
Doctor Buckert said many tend to confuse seasonal allergies with COVID-19, cold and flu, and RSV.
"People are often worried if they have an infection," Buckert said. "That's a big question that we get that has all these symptoms and they're worried if this is something else. Typically, if you're not having fevers, it's a pretty safe bet that it's probably allergies."
In this case, Doctor Buckert says to listen to your body, and if you seem to have concerns or complications, talk to your doctor.
You can look online for more ways to set up an appointment or a virtual visit.