ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Allergy season is upon us, and it appears things will be getting worse for those who struggle with allergies before they get better.
Wednesday and Friday, the pollen count is projected to be "high," with Thursday being "medium to high." Some relief is expected through the weekend with showers expected to wash some of the pollen away.
"It's miserable, eyes itching, watery," said Dianna Steffen, who used to suffer from severe allergies before medicating for them.
"The worst is all the pollen. The oak tree, I call them poison," she said.
Local allergist Dr. Mariah Pate said her St. Petersburg clinic, Tampa Bay Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, is seeing lots of people through its doors impacted by severe allergies.
"This time of year, we notice a huge uptick in people coming in with symptoms," Dr. Pate said.
Dr. Pate said the Tampa Bay area is almost always in the thick of an allergy season.
"This time of year, in February, we're starting to see tree season," she explained. "As we go into the summer, the grasses are going to be a lot more prevalent. And then in the fall, it's more weeds."
Dr. Pate urges those impacted by allergies to limit time outdoors, especially during the hours when people typically mow grass.
"Washing your sheets in hot water; if you're outside, maybe take a shower afterward, rinse out your nose with saline," Dr. Pate said. "Then there's medical things that we can intervene to help with. So the first thing is doing a full exam, doing a scope exam. At my office, we look in the nose to see if there are any structural abnormalities."
Dr. Pate said it's never too early to seek professional help. Allowing everyone to stay outdoors to enjoy the Sunshine State, pollen and all.
Mary-Lee Soules lives in St. Petersburg and suffers from allergies, but keeps an optimistic outlook.
"Everything that is beautiful has an offset. Even a rose has thorns. Allergies are just part of Florida life!" she said.