SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Sore throats and runny noses are symptoms of an epidemic of sorts along the Wasatch Front but its not viral, bacterial, or even contagious.
Doctors say many of the people suffering from those symptoms are having a reaction to bad air. Dr. Saurabh Shaw, an ear, nose and throat specialist at LDS Hospital says it’s the small particulate matter in the air that’s causing the congestion. “There are irritants in the particulate matter that are irritating our nasal and lungs making us sneeze, or sometimes it makes our eyes run or nose run.”
He says even otherwise healthy Utahns are experiencing runny noses and sore throats, and some with seasonal allergies are wondering what they are allergic to now. "There's a phenomenon called non allergic rhinitis. People think about maybe my allergies are acting up with the inversion but it's not really that."
Doctors say if you don't have a fever, body aches or any other symptoms you might want to use a saline solution to flush air irritants out of the nasal cavity.
