Watch out for spring. It can be anything from unpleasant to deadly, so the medical experts warn us.
Take allergy sufferers. There`s major trouble ahead and remedies are few and flawed.
Pollen can be blown by the wind up to 50 miles, so paving over one`s lawn to reduce exposure to microspores is an act of futility. Decongestants may ease watery eyes and sneezing, but they do put one to sleep. Many medical experts simply recommend that allergy suffers stay indoors until the pollen count drops-that is, until evening.
Health writers also get very busy at budtime, alerting us to imminent new threats to our health. First there is the danger of a sudden plunge into physical activity, such as gardening, golf or hiking, after a winter of inertness. Warmup exercises are recommended to reduce the risk of injury to wrists, elbows, neck, knees, back and legs.
Gardeners should bend from the knees when lifting heavy objects. To protect the knees from abrasions, use pads when kneeling. Lawnmowers present some well-known threats to various body parts.
Spring is also the time when insects come to life. People who are even mildly allergic to insect bites must beware of repeated exposure to the offending creatures, or else risk an attack of a potentially fatal allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Among the symptoms are swelling of lips and throat, hoarseness, shortness of breath, vomiting, a sense of impending doom and loss of consciousness.
People allergic to insect bites and stings should wear subdued colors and avoid flowered prints. They should consider applying an insect repellent called DEET (diethyltoluamide), but not to a sunburn. Oh yes, be sure to stand upwind when spraying pesticides.
Let`s face it. Spring can be hell.
