Spring Allergies In Full Force This Season
DULUTH, Minn – Are you spending more time in the allergy relief aisles at your pharmacy? It’s that time of year, the spring allergy season. A local allergist says allergy seasons are lasting longer and the pollen is becoming more potent.
The lack of snow this past season and warmer temperatures had minimal impact on allergies. Dr. Minto Porter an allergist for Essentia says the most common issue was from mold that’s found year-round.
“I definitely saw more indoor and outdoor molds through the wintertime than we typically see,” said Dr. Minto Porter.
Now as spring warms us up and tree buds open, tree pollens will be the main culprit for allergy sufferers. Birch, Maple and Oak tree pollens are the most common in Minnesota. These allergies last between one and two weeks and if it’s a warm and windy day symptoms may be worse as more pollen is being blown into the air.
During May grass pollen will be added to the tree pollens and those two will be the main culprits for seasonal allergies. Dr. Porter says instead of waiting to take your allergy medicine when your allergy hits, now is the time to start taking your medicine.
“You actually start three months before you get to pollen season,” said Porter. “And so, your body kind of produces a protective immunity before you get to high pollen counts. So that’s a very, very effective option for a lot of patients.”
As you take your allergy medications, you may notice that they don’t seem to be working quite as well as you remember. There’s a reason for that and it’s not good news.
“Our pollen seasons are getting longer, and our pollen counts are getting higher. And I’ve actually read studies that have shown the pollen grains are getting more allergenic. So, they’re actually more pronounced or more inflammatory to our immune cells. So, it seems like it’s stacked against us when it comes to allergies,” said Porter.
Your overall health can impact how your body reacts to the pollens. If you’re in generally good health and have a lower stress level the allergy season may be less impactful.
