Gottlieb Allergy Count

Get Ready, Chicago – It’s Sneezin’ Season!

For many Chicagoans, the best protection during allergy season begins with the Allergy Hotline from Loyola’s Gottlieb Memorial Hospital. At 6:00 a.m. on Monday, April 5, Dr. Joseph Leija, an allergist at Gottlieb, will climb the stairs of the Gottlieb Professional Building in Melrose Park to the rooftop where he maintains a special pollen-catching machine. As he has for the past decade, Dr. Leija will carry samples down to his office, examine them under a microscope and determine the official allergy count for the Midwest. He will do this every business day for the next six months through October, the end of pollen reporting season. 

The allergy count is made available to the public this year through Twitter, and is reported in both  English and Spanish through the Gottlieb Allergy Hotline (1-866-4-POLLEN and 1-866-ALERGIA) and on the Gottlieb Web site, www.GottliebHospital.org. “It has been a wet winter so there will be many respiratory irritants resulting in coughing and inflamed nasal passages caused by mold spores,” said Dr. Leija, who is the only allergist in the Midwest certified by the National Allergy Bureau to offer the official allergy count. “Chicago air quality is very poor due to pollution, weather conditions and plant life and, statistically, we have more people than the average who suffer from symptoms such as scratching, runny noses and watery eyes.”

By knowing the counts for trees, grass, weed, mold, pollen and ragweed, allergy sufferers can control their symptoms through behavior modification and by tailoring their medication with the help of their physician.  The Gottlieb Allergy Count is utilized by members of the Chicago news media  and many other institutions and Dr. Leija is considered to be the regional  authority on allergies.

Dr. Leija and the National Allergy Bureau recommend the following preventive measures for those with allergies during allergy season:

• Minimize outdoor activity when pollen counts are high. Peak pollen times are usually between 7 and 10 a.m.
• Shut windows in your house on days when pollen counts are high and use your air conditioner as needed.
• When gardening or mowing the lawn, wear a filter mask.
• Wash your hair before sleeping at night to eliminate pollen and other potential respiratory irritants.