Staying healthy this spring

The weather begins to shift. The outdoors is calling. Spring is here. We have yearned for warmer days and shorter nights, but our circadian rhythm is off and our eyes are beginning to itch.As a reminder, Teladoc can help with seasonal issues sprouting up. Virtual visits are available to all participants enrolled in the Christian Brothers Services Employee Benefit Trust. Sign up or learn more.With spring comes potential hazards to newly found motivation for hitting the hiking trail or picking up a game of basketball. The five most common ailments, according to Healthgrade, are seasonal allergies, asthma, the common cold, Lyme disease, and sports injuries. But with proper preparation, these ailments can be either kept at bay or well-managed.Here’s a look from Teladoc at how and where these sicknesses can affect you:

Illness	Symptoms	Main areas affected
Seasonal allergies	Sneezing, congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes	Nose, throat, sinuses, eyes
Asthma	Wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath	Lungs, chest
Lyme disease	Fever, rash, headache, body pain, tiredness	Muscles, skin, head
Respiratory virus	Sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose	Nose, mouth, throat, lungs
Sports injuries	Sore muscles, pain, swelling	Knees, elbows, hands

Seasonal allergiesAvoiding the outdoors is for winter. This is the time we want to get outside and embrace our chance at getting healthier by walking and exercising any way we can move more. So, the easiest thing we can do to avoid bringing allergies in, is to wash them off. As soon as possible, wash your clothes and hair to clear away pollens.Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can help and starting the routine early can lead to preventing allergies from taking hold. Some over-the-counter and prescription medications can bring relief, but you’ll want to discuss their differences and side effects with a physician. Teladoc physicians are available 24/7/365 to talk with you about your specific triggers, symptoms, and ways to find relief.AsthmaPollen is perhaps the most obvious threat to put a damper on spring, elevating allergies and triggering symptoms of asthma, making it more difficult to breathe. Air pollution and temperature changes can also make your symptoms worse.The American Lung Association reminds you to do the following:

Check your outdoor air quality. Every day. Plan accordingly for any obvious triggers.

Lawn and garden maintenance. Check your local pollen count and consider gardening in the early morning or evening when the pollen count is at its lowest.

Beware the citronella. Bug spray and citronella can trigger an asthma episode. Choose unscented sprays and stay a few feet away from candles.

Use medications as prescribed. Always be sure to use your preventive or controller medications as prescribed, even if you feel well.

Read more tips here on how to be active with allergies.Lyme DiseaseAccording to Healthgrades, deer ticks—which transmit Lyme disease—become active when temperatures rise above 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember to avoid tall vegetation, use tick repellant, and perform tick checks after you’ve been outdoors. If you find a tick, remove it with a pair of fine-tipped tweezers. Then watch for symptoms, such as rash or fever, over the next few weeks. If you start to have symptoms, reach out to a physician.Respiratory illnessFluids from the respiratory tract can carry a virus, which can survive on both skin and surfaces. As we have learned all too well with COVID-19, sanitizing is important. Wash hands after being in public places and always before eating. Keep your distance from anyone who may be coughing or sneezing as a result of the illness. If someone in your house is sick, thoroughly clean commonly touched areas and avoid sharing food or drink.As a reminder, it is important to spot the difference between COVID-19 and seasonal allergies. According to the Mayo Clinic, unlike COVID-19, seasonal allergies aren't caused by a virus. Seasonal allergies are immune system responses triggered by exposure to allergens, such as seasonal tree or grass pollens.COVID-19 and seasonal allergies cause many of the same signs and symptoms. However, there are some differences.

Symptom or sign	COVID-19	Allergy
Cough	Usually (dry)	Sometimes
Fever	Usually	Never
Muscle aches	Usually	Never
Tiredness	Usually	Sometimes
Itchy nose, eyes, inner ear	Never	Usually
Sneezing	Rarely	Usually
Sore throat	Usually	Rarely
Runny or stuffy nose	Usually	Usually
Pink eye (conjunctivitis)	Sometimes	Sometimes
Nausea or vomiting	Sometimes	Never
Diarrhea	Sometimes	Never
New loss of taste or smell	Usually (early on)	Sometimes

Sports and fitness injuriesFor many, spring is also the beginning of a new fitness routine after the long nap of winter. Take it slowly. According to the Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, P.A., muscle strains are often the result of doing too much, too soon. Make your first workouts easier than you think they should be. Increase your strength and stamina slowly and protect yourself.Don’t skip the warm up and the cool down—it can make the difference between an injury and continuing to play your favorite sport.
It’s important to cross-train. It’s easy to develop muscle imbalances that can lead to injury if you don’t participate in some cross-training activities, the Orthocenter cautions. You’re also more likely to develop overuse injuries without variation in what you do.