Gilroy
– For Gilroy resident Tracy Sargent, spring is a mixed blessing,
full of sunshine, blooming flowers and allergies.
Gilroy – For Gilroy resident Tracy Sargent, spring is a mixed blessing, full of sunshine, blooming flowers and allergies.
“They just started hitting me in the last two weeks,” the Gilroyan of 14 years said.
For many allergy sufferers, South County’s abundant oak forests and grasslands make for a hayfever inferno, with pollen counts hovering at high levels for most of April.
Itchy eyes and a stuffy nose are the main two ailments she contends with from April through the fall.
These symptoms – plus headaches and itchy skin – are not uncommon, especially in Gilroy, said Donald W. Burt, Jr., a physician who has practiced otolaryngology in multiple locations and in Gilroy for about 20 years.
“There aren’t too many areas in the country that are worse,” he said. “This is a pretty intense allergy area.”
Gilroy is particularly bad for people with allergies because the large amount of agriculture in the area douses the city with pollen from crops and pesticides that are used to treat them, said Burt. Pollen also comes from the wild plants and trees covering the valley floor and surrounding hills, which trap the pollen and the chemicals in the valley.
The primary sources of pollen in the Gilroy area this week are oak, mulberry and grasses, according Pollen.com, a leading tracker of pollen counts in the United States. The Web site predicts the Gilroy area will experience medium-high levels Saturday and Sunday, before moving up to high levels Monday.
To combat this perfect storm of allergens, there is a range of options, including prescription nasal sprays, shots and antihistamines, Burt said. However, he warns about checking out the side effects of medication before taking it.
“You can actually be arrested for a DUI while taking sedating antihistamines,” he said.
In addition to medication from doctors, allergy sufferers can use nasal sprays to prevent reactions or saline solutions to reduce symptoms after exposure, he said. Taking a shower can also lessen symptoms.
“It works great,” said Burt. “It gets rid of the pollen.”
The physician should know – he too suffers from allergies. In fact, this was one of the reasons he entered into the field.
At home, he creates a sanctuary by turning on the air-conditioning – in which he installed a special filter – and keeping a breeze from an ionizer passing over his bed.
Short of wearing masks or locking themselves in the house, allergy sufferers have few strategies available, said Alan B. Goldsobel, a physician specializing in allergies with Allergy and Asthma Associates, which has an office in Gilroy. However, good planning can alleviate some trouble.
“Certain times of the day will be more problematic,” he said. “Early, early in the morning will not be as much of a problem.”
There is one other, perhaps more fun, way to avoid the pollen and allergen buildup endemic to the South Valley, said Sargent.
“Go to the beach.”
