TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Springtime in Arizona is when we start to feel nicer temperatures. But it's also when we start feeling those allergies kick in.
“Usually when we see the palo verde and mesquite trees starting to bloom, we see those yellow puffs and yellow blossoms that’s, for me, kind of the big indicator that things are about to get bad," said Tara Carr, a doctor with Banner Health specializing in allergy and immunology.
So, how do environmental allergies develop?
“Usually, the first year, the immune system may or may not develop an allergy," Carr said. "The second year, your immune system might start to, and the third year is when you start to have symptoms from that allergy."
In Tucson, Carr explains that allergy season can be "kind of long and overlapping and unpredictable.”
But there are ways to plan ahead and combat your allergies.
“Generally, avoiding the thing that’s driving the allergy is helpful," Carr said. "So if there’s a lot of pollen outside, maybe don’t spend a ton of time outside. We say shower or take a bath after you’ve spent time outside to get the pollens off of your skin."
Carr also suggests: “If you know that you’re going to have problems during that pollen season or with that exposure, then taking a medication like an allergy pill or nose spray before you have the exposure can be preventative.”
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
