Can I go to Urgent Care for Allergies in 2018?

When Does Allergy Season Start in 2018?

While there’s no official start date to allergy season (and no groundhog to alert us of its approach), you can expect to start getting hit with allergies right around February and March each year.

To be clear, the commonly used term “allergy season” is a bit misleading. In reality, allergies come in waves throughout the year, beginning in early spring and lasting until approximately November.

Note that this only applies to outdoor seasonal allergies and doesn’t factor in where you live. In 2016, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) published a report The Most Challenging Places to Live With Spring Allergies. Some areas of the country may bypass certain allergy seasons entirely, while others get hit even harder. You can use the AAFA’s report to see how challenging—or not—it is to live with seasonal allergies in your area.

What are Common Seasonal Allergies?

Seasonal allergies affect people differently. The most common type of seasonal allergy is called hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Hay fever is primarily a pollen allergy, which lasts from early spring through the month of May. However, pollen isn’t the only culprit. Throughout the year, different allergens can cause reactions in people.

• Pollen season: Late February/early March through May
• Grass season: May through July
• Mold spores and ragweed season: July through November

The only way to know exactly what you’re allergic to is to have a skin test done by your doctor or an allergist.

What are Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies?

If you have hay fever, seasonal allergy symptoms can feel a lot like symptoms of a cold. A tip for telling the difference is to note if you have a fever or body aches. Since allergies don’t cause either of these symptoms, you probably have a cold.

Seasonal allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe. The most common seasonal allergy symptoms include:

• Runny nose
• Stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Temporary loss of smell
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Snoring
• Watery and itchy eyes
• Ear congestion
• Itchy sinuses or throat
• Postnasal drainage

Less common allergy symptoms include:

• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing

The same allergens that trigger hay fever can also cause people with asthma to have an asthma attack. Symptoms of an asthma attack are often more severe than allergies and include:

• Severe wheezing
• Persistent coughing
• Rapid breathing
• Tight chest or pressure in the chest
• Sweating
• Difficulty talking

Since seasonal allergies are typically inhaled, they can be particularly problematic for people with asthma. If you have asthma, it’s a good idea to have a rescue inhaler ready to use during allergy season.

How to prevent and manage seasonal allergies in 2018

Unfortunately, you can’t prevent allergies. What you can do, however, is prevent allergic reactions. The more preventive steps you take, the fewer allergy symptoms you should have to deal with.

Check the daily pollen count

Pollen.com has a helpful tool that allows you to check the pollen count in your zip code. If the pollen count is high, you’ll know that you need to take extra precaution to stay indoors.

Check the air quality report for your area

When you check the pollen count, also check the air quality for your area. If the air quality is low, you’ll want to avoid being outdoors as much as possible. High levels of pollutants mixed with seasonal allergens can cause symptoms to flare up. This is something you should be especially mindful of if you have asthma.

Keep your car and home windows closed

It’s a good idea to avoid contact with allergens as much as possible. An easy way to do this is to keep the windows of your car and home closed, especially on high pollen days. The same is true if there is a lower pollen count but poor air quality.

Use the recirculate button in your car to keep allergens out

While driving, you want to make sure your car is circulating air from inside and not pulling outside air in. Every year before allergy season begins, have your car’s air filter changed. This will help keep your car (and your nose) pollen-free.

Limit your time outdoors

The less environmental exposure you have to allergens, the better off you’ll be. Even though the weather may be nicer than it has been in awhile, if you have severe allergies it’s best to stay inside.

Take a shower after spending time outside

Obviously, you can’t avoid going outside completely. If you do spend an extended period of time outdoors, take a shower as soon as you can after coming inside. If you can’t take one right away, make sure to do so before you get in bed. Rinsing pollen off your skin and hair can make a big difference in how you feel.

Can Allergy Symptoms be Treated at Urgent Care?

Going to urgent care for a non-emergency illness or injury is more convenient than going to your primary care doctor and more affordable than going to the emergency room. With spring in full swing, you may find yourself needing help managing those pesky seasonal allergies. But can you go to urgent care to be treated for allergies? The answer depends.

If your allergies are mild to moderate and are not making it difficult for you to breathe, you can go to urgent care. You’ll be examined by a physician or physician’s assistant and, more than likely, prescribed an antihistamine.

For a longer-term solution to allergies, you can get allergy shots. Allergy shots work like a vaccine by helping your body develop immunity to the allergen. Some urgent care centers do offer allergy shots but you’ll want to call ahead to make sure.

Can I go to Urgent Care for an Asthma Attack?

Since asthma attacks can range in severity, there’s no set answer to this. Generally, you can go to urgent care for any kind of health condition that is not life-threatening. This same rule applies to asthma attacks. If you’re having a severe asthma attack and need medical assistance, you should call 911. For milder asthma attacks, you can head to your local urgent care center for a walk-in visit or book a same-day appointment online.

Can I Get an Allergy Test Done at Urgent Care?

If your allergies are getting to you and you want to know exactly what’s causing the problem, you might consider going to urgent care for an allergy test. Some urgent care centers do offer allergy tests, while some don’t. It really depends on the clinic. You can call ahead to find out if any of your local urgent care centers offer this service. If they do, you can save a lot of money by having it done at urgent care, instead of your primary care doctor’s office.

Many common health conditions, including seasonal allergies, cost far less to treat at urgent care. If you need to be treated for symptoms that are not life-threatening, urgent care is a great place to be treated. You’ll save money and time — especially when you use Solv to book a same-day appointment at urgent care.