Abdul Rahman/flickr
Apparently, a record-setting winter wasn’t enough — we have an equally disastrous allergy season on our hands. Here’s what you can do about it.
May, or National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, has come to a close, and allergy sufferers everywhere are glad to move on towards the summer. But in spite of everyone’s relief at winter finally being over, this spring was reported as one of the worst allergy seasons in years.
As usual, the biggest problem was pollen that come from blossoming trees, and general allergies caused by grass.
Both of these trends occur on a yearly basis, but Dr. Tao Zheng at the Yale School of Medicine, predicted that “This allergy season may be the worst in years.” In the Northeast especially, many types of trees, including birch, oak and pine, produced more pollen than usual, rendering his prediction correct.
Why Are Things Worse?
Even though one might think that a longer, snowier winter might temper down spring allergies, the opposite is actually true. As Zheng noted, the residual wetness of melting snow causes plants to develop even more pollen than usual.
Climate change is an additional factor, as increasingly warm summers also contribute to a lengthened, more relentless allergy season that has started earlier and earlier each year.
Mike Tringale, Senior VP of the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America, recently noted that “Older Americans will remember that peak tree-pollen season used to be late April every year, but now high pollen counts nationwide are being recorded in many places as early as the first week of March, thanks to global climate change.”
With an estimated 45 million Americans suffering from allergy-related symptoms each spring, this is an issue with widespread ramifications. Most of those afflicted have turned to antihistamines and nasal corticosteroid medications, which offer only temporary help.
Possible Responses
For those in serious need of relief, allergy shots can successfully treat symptoms. While the results of these injections are overwhelmingly positive, they need to be repeated on a regular basis at a clinician’s office, often over the period of three to five years.
There are also newly developed allergy tablets that can be taken at home on a daily basis after the first visit to the prescribing doctor.
Like the periodic injections, these tablets help sufferers build a tolerance to a range of allergies, even only a few weeks after treatment has started. Unfortunately, this line of strategy works best if begun well before allergy season begins.
Now that we are nearing the end of spring, more basic measures can be taken to dampen the effects of allergens. Keeping your windows closed will prevent pollen from entering your house.
Wearing a mask when outside can often be beneficial, as can refraining from outdoor activity during peak pollen hours, (morning to midday). Finally, showering after time spent outdoors will help remove any allergens that have collected on your clothes and hair.
Even when you take all of these measures and more, sometimes allergies find a way to follow you home. The air purifiers from Rabbit Air will trap airborne pollen and allergens to help keep the interior of your home clear and breathable, giving you an escape from all the itching and sneezing.
Each purifier model is sleek, functional, and easy to use. In addition, they can fully clean a room twice every hour! If you’re looking for an easy way to supplement your allergy-free lifestyle, look no further than RabbitAir.
