Dry weather brings higher levels of pollen.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG / WECP) – If you’ve been sniffling or sneezing a lot lately, it may be because the pollen count has increased.

As dry weather sets in, pollen grains can travel more freely through the air. Ragweed, elm and grass are the current culprits of allergy triggers in our region. Forecasts point to medium to high pollen levels of these elements over the next few days.

We chatted with Dr. Marwan Obid, Obid’s Allergy, Respiratory and Internal Medicine Specialist in Panama, ways to make yourself feel better during times when pollen is at its peak.

He mentioned some of the symptoms you can expect, such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose, stuffiness, postnasal drip, and sore throat. There are different medications you can take to help relieve these symptoms. “A lot of people use the over-the-counter nasal spray and over-the-counter antihistamines,” Dr. Obid said.

There are also little things you can do at home or in the office to help. “If you have an air purifier in the house, you have to change the house filter, you have to change the air conditioner filter every month,” Dr. Obid said.

You’ll also want to think twice about keeping those windows open at night. Dr Obid said it can allow these pollen grains to enter the house and cause even more allergies.

Having an antihistamine on hand and keeping the windows closed are just a few steps you can take to make sure you get through this allergy season feeling your best!

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