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But Dr. Mark Titi thinks about an increase in patients coming to the Allergy and Asthma Center on Marietta Avenue. This time of year, more people need help to relieve itching eyes, runny and congested noses and sinus headaches.
Titi said this spring's allergy season started off slow with the cooler weather but got quite a bit worse as spring went on.
"Mid-April was really bad and Memorial Day was really bad, too," Titi said. "If you're an allergist, you don't want to be on call on Memorial Day. There is a crossover between the trees continuing to pollinate and grass rising at that point."
Josh Newhard, a meteorologist with Accuweather.com, said there have been moderate to moderate-high levels of pollen across Lancaster County throughout the past 30 days.
This spring, the allergy specialists have seen more people coming into the office than in previous years, Titi said.
"We see the more severe patients because over-the-counter medications help milder cases. We have had a lot of new cases."
Seasonal allergies mostly affect people from the age of 3 to 50 or 60 years old, Titi said.
The most prevalent spring allergy symptom is eyes itching, watering or swelling, Titi said. Other symptoms are runny nose and sneezing.
"But what brings in the most people usually are the congested nose and sinus headaches," Titi said.
These allergy symptoms bring about a "reduced quality of life, a slightly low energy," he said. "Some get poor sleep, which could be a reason for the energy problem."
Titi said there the term "presenteeism" refers to people being at work, but not functioning well because they can't concentrate because of allergy symptoms.
A West Hempfield resident who declined to give her name said she has year-round allergies, but they have gotten worse since she moved to central Pennsylvania from northern Virginia. Although doctors have not found a specific cause for her allergies, "when it's windy, it drives my sinuses crazy," she said.
Barbara, a Mountville resident who declined to give her last name, said her 12-year-old son, her 9-year-old daughter and her husband's allergies and asthma have been about the same as they normally are.
Her children go to a pediatrician and chiropractor for help in controlling the allergies, she said.
She said she has just started having allergy symptoms, too. Her first clue, she said, was the postnasal drip.
Tracy Schmitt of Mountville said she and her son, Curran, have an unknown type of allergy, likely to mold. She said she just looks at the Weather Channel and knows when they will have problems, but so far this spring has been no worse than past years.
Schmitt's routine is to take Mucinex daily, as well as Motrin for sinus headaches, and drink lots of fluids. If her sinuses get really bad, she adds other medications, she said.
Titi said some tips to help alleviate allergy symptoms are environmentally based.
They are:
• Use air conditioning, particularly when pollen counts are high, which usually happens on dry, windy days;
• Wash your hair at night because pollen can be carried inside and onto a pillow where it would be breathed all night;
• When traveling, use maximum air-conditioning or the recirculate button;
• For bad eye allergies, wear large glasses or sunglasses;
• Use a mask when mowing grass.
When using medications, Titi recommends purchasing an antihistamine that doesn't cause drowsiness.
"Always read warnings on the box, because it might affect driving performance. Even though it might not cause drowsiness, an antihistamine like Benedryl might actually slow reaction," Titi said. "Not enough people read potential warnings. An antihistamine with decongestant could cause side effects on the heart, urinary system, blood pressure, insomnia."
For those with severe symptoms, allergists can write prescriptions for nasal sprays and antihistamines, inhalers or tablets for asthma or give allergy shots, which usually take six months to a year to start working, Titi said.
E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com
