Wildfires, dust storms impacting Oklahomans health
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — After days of wildfires, dust storms, and high pollen counts, Oklahomans may be suffering.
"The wildfires produce a different type of pollution more than the normal that we see in Oklahoma," said Dr. Greg Krempl, chair of otolaryngology, OU Health.
If you look at Oklahoma's air quality index, it reports that the air is good and moderate in some areas. Health experts say that's inaccurate, for the reason that it doesn't account for the particles that come from wildfires because they're too small.
Pollen can be 10 to 100 microns, while wildfire particles can be as small as 2.5 microns.
"If you are inhaling that 2.5 microns stuff, you don't clear that fast, that goes straight into your lungs and can get straight into your blood stream and then it just sticks around until its cleared out," said Dr. Krempl.
Symptoms that some Oklahomans may be experiencing are similar to allergies.
"The itchy burning eyes, the irritation in the nose, the cough, the drainage," said Dr. Krempl.
On top of wildfires, it is spring allergy season and Oklahoma City ranks as the third worst place to live if you have allergies, according to a new report by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
"A lot of times this time of year we're getting stuff out of Texas and so if they're blooming ahead of us, then we're getting all of their allergy stuff blown up here as well as what we are getting naturally from our population of trees in Oklahoma," said Dr. Krempl.
For those with allergies, asthma, or chronic lung disease, doctors say wildfire smoke can create problems.
The best thing everyone can do is to stay indoors.
"If it's allergies then over-the-counter medicines will help, if it's wildfire smoke it's not going to make any difference because it's the particles that are causing the irritation," said Dr. Krempl.
If you've been exposed to smoke, using a nasal spray can help clear your system.
You should also make sure the air quality inside your home is good, which you can do by keeping windows and doors shut, use your air conditioning, and consider utilizing a portable air purifier with a HEPA filter.