2008 Woodie Awards
Student Health Center provides allergy relief
Malerie Paynter
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News
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Around 20 percent of the health center's visitors this week came in for help with allergy symptoms, and that number has been climbing steadily since spring break, according to Noel Robinson, one of SCC's public health nurses.
"Runny noses, sneezing, and itchy or runny eyes are what we treat mostly," said Robinson. "The runny nose is the main thing."
The culprit for most of the allergy symptoms students are experiencing is likely the lush grass in which the college takes so much pride.
"Grass is kind of a hard thing to get away from on our campus," said Robinson. "There's so much of it, they cut it so often, and it's one of the most common allergens."
To compound the problem, the campus is contained in an agricultural pocket of sorts, so for those who are allergy-prone, a symptom flare-up is virtually unavoidable.
Fortunately, the health center, located in the 1400 building, can help relieve symptoms while you're on campus. The on-call nurses will provide you with a nasal decongestant, eye drops, or a generic version of Benadryl, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
The health center does not dispense antihistamines such as Claritin or Zyrtec, due to their higher cost, but Robinson does recommend that students with more intense allergy problems find an antihistamine that works for them.
"Some students might even benefit from a visit to the doctor," said Robinson. "Doctors can conduct allergy testing or prescribe a really helpful nasal spray."
Robinson also suggested another way to avoid suffering too much this allergy season: check the pollen count on your local news station or online - if the count is high, that would be a great time to pop an antihistamine and stick a travel pack of tissue in your car.
Finally, there exists yet another option, possibly the easiest and most obvious: stay off the grass!
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