Indianapolis, April 19, 2011 -- It is estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from allergies. Outdoor spring cleaning, mowing the grass and planting flowers can often cause allergy symptoms to intensify. But when the weather is nice and spring is in the air, it is hard not to want to get out and enjoy the outdoors regardless of the potential for an allergy outbreak. 
"While avoidance is the best medicine for allergy sufferers, it is often not the most practical remedy. The good thing is while avoidance might not be entirely possible, limiting exposure and taking proactive measures to reduce allergy flare-ups can often be very helpful,” said Dr. William Baker, allergy section chief for the IU School of Medicine and an allergist at Wishard Health Services.  
Dr. Baker said while outdoor allergies are impossible to avoid there are some helpful tips that you can take to make the spring allergy season more bearable. These tips include: 

• Staying indoors between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. as this is the time plants and flowers open for the morning sun and pollen counts tend to be highest.
• Planning your outdoor activities when pollen counts in your area are at their lowest. The best time for a person with allergies to be outdoors is after a heavy rain fall.
• Keeping windows closed whenever possible and leaving shoes and clothing worn outside in the garage or closed off from the house to prevent allergens from entering.
• Showering or bathing before going to bed to limit the potential of spreading the allergens.

"For many people avoidance measures can greatly reduce the symptoms of allergies," Dr. Baker explained. "Keeping windows closed and using the air conditioning, avoiding the outdoors for an extensive time during the morning hours when allergies tend to be the worse and never drying your clothes outside on a clothes line are some steps people can take." 
For people with severe allergies, Dr. Baker said there are three steps a person should follow to treat his or her symptoms. He said the first step is to try over the counter medications. If no improvement is seen within a few days, a visit to a primary care physician is warranted.  In many cases if the symptoms do not improve after seeing a primary care doctor, a person is then referred to an allergy clinic for skin testing to determine the allergens causing the reaction. Medication prescribed by a physician, a nasal spray and/or an oral medically, typically can ease symptoms. For severe cases allergy shots may be necessary, Dr. Baker said.   
Wishard has established a primary care network consisting of its Primary Care Center and nine Community Health Centers conveniently located throughout Indianapolis. To access these services, the public is encouraged to call Health Connection at Wishard, a call center that operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The call center is also available to assist and provide helpful information to people with questions. Registered nurses who have access to a wide variety of up-to-date health care information evaluate people over the phone and connect them to the most appropriate level of care.  
For more information on the services Wishard provides or to find a primary care physician, please call Health Connection at (317) 655-2255.