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Beloved Austin greenbelt parks itself among worst spots for hay fever

Barton Creek Greenbelt_near 360 access_2015

Austin’s Barton Creek Greenbelt ranks among the worst parks in the country for hay fever sufferers.

Photo by Nicole Raney

This is certainly something to sneeze at: Austin’s Barton Creek Greenbelt ranks among the worst parks in the country for hay fever sufferers.

YorkTest, a provider of at-home health tests, looked at the five-day average for grass pollen counts at the country’s 150 largest parks to come up with its list of the worst parks for hay fever. The Barton Creek Greenbelt landed in fourth place, with an average grass pollen count of 106.8 grains per cubic meter.

Two parks in Nashville topped the list of the worst parks for hay fever, followed by a park in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The only other Texas park among the 15 worst for hay fever was the 13th-ranked San Jacinto Battle Ground State Historic Site in LaPorte (average grass pollen count of 66 grains of cubic meter).

At the other end of the spectrum, San Antonio’s Rancho Diana Nature Park was one of the 10 of the largest U.S. parks where no grass pollen was detected.

“Though symptoms often resemble those of a cold, hay fever isn’t caused by a virus but a reaction to pollen, typically from grass in the summer. Highlighting the parks across the U.S. that have the highest pollen counts will help those who want to either try and avoid these areas or take necessary precautions to ease the symptoms,” YorkTest’s Kerri Ferriaioli says.

The Mayo Clinic explains that hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, causes symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion, sneezing, and sinus pressure. Indoor and outdoor allergens are the culprits.

Zyrtec, a maker of allergy medication, says hay fever symptoms typically appear in the spring, summer or early fall during peak times for tree, weed, and grass pollen, as well as mold spores.

More than 19 million American adults experience hay fever, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Getting Deep

Popular Austin deep massage clinic opening new location near Westlake

Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

AustinDeep is known for an intensive approach that gets results.

A gentle massage can be lovely, but some stressed Austinites need some extra oomph. They can get it at AustinDeep, a local massage clinic that specializes in a propriety technique called the Deep Method. There will soon be a third location in the Barton Creek neighborhood — the farthest outside of Austin and the largest so far.

The new location will be at 2700 Barton Creek Blvd., Ste. 110. It'll span 3,000 square feet at the Barton Creek Village, which is near the Barton Creek Country Club, St. Michael's Catholic Preparatory School, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt. This is a new market for the brand, since the existing two locations are relatively close to each other on Congress Ave and Lake Austin Boulevard.

Jessica Price AusitnDeep Masseuse Jessica Price developed a proprietary technique for AustinDeep.Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

The Deep Method targets the fascia, the connective tissue that holds our muscles and other organs together. Ideally, the fascia should be flexible, but sometimes it gets tight from inactivity, overuse, or other issues, causing pain or soreness. When masseuse Jessica Price opened AustinDeep in 2002, she used her background in myofascial release — a very gentle technique — to create a new process that starts with a warming technique, and then adds in deep tissue and trigger point therapy.

The result is more rigorous and may leave clients sore afterwards. As AustinDeep practitioners explain, breaking up all that fascia is an intense workout, even though the therapist is doing much of the work. Price also learned from physical therapists, so this exacting approach that prioritizes results makes a lot of sense.

That might not sound relaxing (and fans of any intense massage techniques will confirm that they usually aren't), but the aftermath is where things start to open up. This clinic calls it getting "Massage Drunk."

Jessica Price AustinDeep Clients may leave feeling drunk.Photo courtesy of AUSTINDEEP

Despite a tough-love massage approach, the new location sounds cushy: There will be 10 therapy rooms with electric lift tables; a lounge with relaxing music and a bar for tea, wine, or even custom flower arrangements; a veranda to enjoy nootropic drinks (brain supplements) or wine; and a retail selection.

The interior design also reflects the departure from the potentially sterile massage clinic norm with lots of plants and jewel tones.

So far there is no opening date set, but AustinDeep is sharing updates when they're available on Instagram. Services start at $85 for 30 minutes. More information is available at austindeep.com.

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