Oklahoma Ranked 4th-Highest State For Pollen Allergy Issues

Oklahoma City is not where you want to be when allergy season is in full swing. According to a new report from the Asthma and Allergy foundation of America, OKC is the fourth most challenging city in the U.S. for folks with pollen allergies.

“So when my allergies do get really bad it can get hard for me to breathe,” says Becca Yanez, an OU senior who suffers from severe allergies. “I get really congested. Sometimes I get little hives or rashes.”

It's a yearly struggle for her, and she says it's been particularly bad this season. Yanez says she even has to have a go bag with allergy essentials. Like many, she depends on an array of allergy medicines and at home remedies.

“I'm running through tissues, and you know having to go make my little kit again,” she says.

If you are pollen sensitive and find yourself clinging to a box of tissues just to get through the day, the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic has some advice for you.

“Over the counter medications, what are called oral antihistamines, like Claritin and Zyrtec can be helpful,” says Dr. Bret Haymore, a board certified allergist at the Oklahoma Asthma and Allergy Clinic.

He says washing your hands and clothes frequently, changing you air filters regularly, or simply staying indoors when possible can also help if your allergies are worsening. But he says a clinic visit is a great option for someone who just can’t shake their allergies.

“We see the whole range of allergy conditions and are more than happy to help people who are having difficulty and maybe who are having symptoms despite seeing their primary care,” he says.

For folks like Yanez, this is an all too familiar fix.

“I often have to get prescription allergy medications,” she says.

“There are some medicines by prescription that you can’t get over the counter," says Dr. Haymore. "Some oral medicines and nasal medicines there are also allergy shots and allergy injections that can build your body’s natural immunity to the allergens.”