Spring allergies already affecting many
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- If this recent spring weather has you sneezing, sniffling, or coughing, you're not alone.
North Carolina is a particularly bad state when it comes to allergies, and horticulturists warn this year could be worse than normal because of last month's deep freeze.
"We are seeing congestion in people, post nasal draining, sinus headaches, infections," said Fayetteville ENT Dr. Eric Mansfield, who said he's seen a big jump in the number of allergy patients partly due the weather. "Fayetteville is interesting. We are in a river valley. Being in a river basin, most of our pollen stays here. It doesn't blow off like Wilmington, but it just sits and sits."
Experts said that big chill we had back in February didn't do as much damage to plant life as first feared. We had rain and freezing rain and it encapsulated the buds, insulating them from double and single digits temperatures.
"So now everything is coming out," said Botanical Gardens horticulturist Adriana Quinones. "So the cold actually protected them a little bit, and now they are ready to bust out."
Quinones said right now its pollen from grasses and some trees that's causing the misery.
Doctors recommend over the counter medication to treat symptoms, Some could get relief from allergy shots as well.
