PHOENIX — It's the time of year many of us dread. Pollen is flying across the state, which is why many have been dealing with runny noses, watery eyes, coughing, and constant sneezing.
The culprits right now are juniper and ash, and this is only the beginning for allergy season.
"Everything will be blooming soon, particularly all the desert trees will be blooming. A lot of the plants and shrubbery will be blooming. There's going to be a lot of allergens in the air," says Dr. Thomas Ardiles with Banner University Medical Center.
The desert landscape combined with the urban sprawl gives Phoenicians a double dose of allergens, which includes plants and dust.
The wet winter may lead to an even more severe allergy season, but Dr. Ardiles says many are still affected even when it's dry due to the wind moving the pollen around.
He also says to stay on top of your medications if you do suffer from allergies. Once they hit, it's hard to overcome the inflammatory response.
Allergy season generally sticks around until the fall once temperatures cool down.
