As we bid farewell to the chilly grip of winter, welcoming the blossoms and warmer breezes of spring, many of us find ourselves grappling with an unwelcome companion: allergies. Just as we’ve navigated through the tail end of the cold and flu season, a new challenge looms on the horizon. The first official day of spring, March 19, has historically been a marker for the onset of allergy season, but recent observations indicate that the sniffling, sneezing, and eye watering may start even earlier than we’re accustomed to.
Dr. Tania Elliott, a New York City-based allergist and clinical instructor at NYU Langone Health, has noticed an uptick in patients presenting with allergy symptoms, signaling the start of what is expected to be a particularly harsh allergy season. According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, plant activity associated with allergies began up to three weeks earlier than usual in certain regions, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and North Carolina. This early onset is a trend not limited to these states but is echoed across the country, with pollen release beginning a week to more than three weeks earlier than the long-term average in places like Albuquerque, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
The implications of this shift are far-reaching, affecting millions who suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis. Researchers from a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2021 have found that allergy seasons in North America are now starting approximately 20 days earlier, lasting 10 days longer, and producing about 21 percent more pollen than in 1990. This increase in pollen can be attributed to climate change and poses significant health risks, particularly for those prone to allergies and asthma.
The allergy season kicks off with tree pollen, with coniferous trees like pines dusting cars and sidewalks with their telltale yellow pollen. While this heavier pollen often doesn’t trigger allergic reactions due to its tendency to fall to the ground, it’s a harbinger for the more problematic pollens from hardwood trees such as oak, elm, and maple. These trees produce smaller spores that can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs, causing more severe allergic reactions.
Dr. Stephen Kimura, an allergist in Pensacola, Florida, and fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, notes that the tree pollen season is extending, now lasting four to six weeks as opposed to the historically shorter two-week period. Following tree pollen season, grasses and then weeds take their turn, prolonging the allergy season into early November in some areas.
For the estimated 81 million Americans diagnosed with seasonal allergic rhinitis, this extended and intensified allergy season means a longer duration of symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, congestion, and red, watery, or itchy eyes. While these symptoms are seldom severe enough to necessitate hospitalization, they can significantly disrupt sleep and daily productivity.
So, what can be done to manage these symptoms and make the spring months more bearable? Dr. Elliott suggests several strategies, including keeping windows closed and using air conditioning, leaving shoes at the door to avoid tracking pollen indoors, showering in the evening to wash off pollen, and considering the use of allergy medication like antihistamines or nasal sprays. For those looking for a more long-term solution, allergen immunotherapy, which gradually trains the immune system not to react to specific allergens, might be worth considering.
As we step into spring, it’s clear that preparation and proactive management are key to navigating this allergy season. By understanding the early onset and increased intensity of pollen release, individuals can better arm themselves against the seasonal onslaught of allergies, ensuring that the spring months remain a time of renewal and enjoyment rather than discomfort and disruption.
