As the spring season rolls in, many people are experience sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny noses as this year’s longer and more intense pollen season triggers allergies across the state.
According to Blue Shield of California, “Many people underestimate just how intense seasonal allergies can be in California…. Because our climate doesn’t have a hard stop between seasons, allergies tend to linger and overlap” (blueshieldca.com).
According to an article about recent weather events, “Recent storms brought extra rain, which made plants grow faster and bloom earlier, which often leads to more pollen in the air.” The warm spring weather makes the situation worse, making the pollen season longer and more severe (health.yahoo.com).
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America ranked San Diego as the second worst city in the U.S. for seasonal allergies (aafa.org). According to CBS, “The foundation’s rankings analyzed over-the-counter allergy medication sales, the number of board-certified allergists in each city, and pollen levels — specifically tree, weed and grass pollen. San Diego performed poorly across all three categories” (cbs8.com).
According to a website about the environment, “As temperatures rise, freeze-free seasons are stretching in every region of the country, giving plants weeks of extra time to grow and release pollen…. For millions of Americans, that means earlier, longer and more intense allergy seasons that can take a real toll on health and daily life.” Experts have also linked a nationwide increase of allergies to climate change (climatecentral.org).
Some ways that experts suggest reducing allergies are to take over-the-counter medications, check pollen levels, and limit outdoor activity during high pollen hours, according to Yahoo Health. Additionally, washing hands, changing clothes, and keeping windows closed can help prevent pollen from spreading indoors (health.yahoo.com).
Pets can also carry pollen indoors on their fur, increasing exposureto allergens. Washing pets regularly and keeping them off furniture can help lower pollen levels in the home (health.yahoo.com).
Some students are noticing that allergies are interfering with their school day. Sophomore Andrea Hernandez said, “I have been getting a runny nose and itchy eyes in the morning, which makes it hard to focus in class sometimes.”
For many people, tree pollen is the main cause of allergy symptoms. Some trees release larger pollen grains that appear as a fine yellow dust on the ground; however, other trees produce much smaller pollen particles that cannot be seen and are easily carried by the wind. These particles are much more likely to trigger allergies, because they can enter the eyes, mouth, and airways (blueshieldca.com).
According to the Mayo Clinic, allergens can affect different parts of the body, including the airways, sinuses, skin, and digestive systems. “Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe,” the clinic stated. Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, a runny or stuffy nose, watery or itchy eyes, or postnasal drip which is mucus that moves down the throat (mayoclinic.org).