KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — While the summer heat lingers, fall allergies are picking up.
Right now, there are high levels of dock, lamb's quarter and ragweed, as well as moderate levels of mold spores.
That's partially because of the weather patterns in the region, according to Ear, Nose and Throat specialist Dr. Alan Rosenbaum.
"We have a lot of mold spores still in the environment with all the moisture that we've had and heat," Rosenbaum said. "With the elements of climate change, the first frost comes later in the year so our fall ragweed season is a little bit longer than it has been in previous decades."
In order to prevent allergy symptoms, Rosenbaum recommends you should try to avoid exposure by spending less time outside, closing windows and changing out of clothing that may have pollen on it. Sinus rinses can also be helpful.
If that fails, he said over-the-counter medications or seeing a specialist might be your answer.
"Sometimes allergies can lead to other problems such as sinus problems," Rosenbaum said. "It really becomes important to control the allergies so you can minimize the domino effect causing other issues."
At Thrive Chiropractics, they offer some different techniques.
Dr. Kristin Dolan said chiropractic adjustments can help allergy problems.
"They help the nervous system function better and we know that when your nervous system is functioning, it allows your immune system to function better," Dolan said. "That is going to allow your allergies to be lessened just a tad."
She said sinus adjustments can also help relieve congestion.
"It feels like kind funny, but we do them right on the sinuses of your face, a lot of time where people feel those pressure points," she said. "We use an instrument to do all of our adjustments."