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Allergy season can be miserable for tens of millions of Americans when trees, grass and other pollen cause runny nose, itching, coughing and sneezing.
Where you live, what you are allergic to and your lifestyle can make a big difference in terms of the severity of your allergy. Experts say climate change has led to longer, more intense allergy seasons, but note that treatment for seasonal allergies has become more effective over the past decade.
Here are some expert tips to keep allergic symptoms at bay. It’s probably enough to enjoy the outdoors.
Where is the worst pollen levels this year?
The American Foundation for Asthma and Allergy Foundation publishes annual rankings of the most difficult cities if they have allergies based on over-the-counter drug use, pollen count, and the number of allergy experts available.
The top five cities this year are: Wichita, Kansas. New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Oklahoma. and Memphis.
Which pollen causes allergies?
There are three main types of pollen: In the beginning of spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. The grass then pollinates, followed by weeds in late summer and early autumn.
Some of the most common tree pollen that causes allergies include birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak, and walnuts, according to the American foundations of asthma and allergies. Symptomatic grasses include Bermuda, Johnson, rye and Kentucky bluegrass.
How can I track pollen levels?
Pollen trackers can help you decide when to go outside. The American Academy of Allergy and Asthma and Immunology tracks levels through a network of count stations in the US. Available on its website and via email.
Limits exposure to pollen
The best and first step to controlling allergies is to avoid exposure. Put the window inside your car and leave the house closed.
Dr. James Baker, an allergist at the University of Michigan, goes outside and wears long sleeves to cover pollen from her skin. They will also provide sunscreen, he added.
When you get home, change clothes and shower every day to make sure all the pollen is in your hair. If you don’t wash your hair every day, try covering your hair with a hat or scarf when you go outside. Do not wear outside clothes and get on the bed as pollen continues.
It is also useful to rinse your eyes and nose with saline to remove pollen, experts said. And while the same masks that have led us through the pandemic can protect you from allergies, they don’t help with eye symptoms.
Climate change affects allergy seasons. Allergy season can be more problematic for children than adults. Theresa Macphail, an associate professor of science and technology research at the Stevens Institute of Technology, explains important changes and simple ways to protect children from allergies that exacerbate them.
How to relieve allergic symptoms
Over-the-counter nose sprays are one of the most effective treatments for seasonal allergies, experts said.
However, Dr. Kathleen Mays, an allergist at Augusta University in Georgia, said the majority of patients misuse the irritating parts of their nose. She suggested not thrust her nose straight, but instead gazing the nozzle outward towards her ear.
Over-the-counter allergy medications like Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec are useful, but they may not be as effective as they are taken orally, experts said.
Experts also said that if your allergic symptoms are affecting your quality of life, it may be time to consider booking immunotherapy allergies, such as preventing you from losing sleep or focusing at work or school.
Several remedies for allergy relief circulating on social media, or suggested by celebrities — like incorporating local honey into their diet and exposing them to pollen — have been exposed.
Dr. Shayam Joshi, an allergist at Oregon Health and Science University, said the flowers pollinated by honeybees do not contain air pollen, which causes allergic symptoms.
Do allergies change?
Climate change causes mild winters and long growth periods. This means that pollen will stay in the air more and create a longer, more serious allergy season.
Pollen numbers have broken decades of records in many parts of the country. In late March, the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Center measured more than 14,000 pollen per cubic metre. This is considered very expensive.
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The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Science and Education Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
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