Allergy seasons start earlier due to climate change

Posted by Master, Doctor Mai Vien Phuong - Department of Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital

Researchers say climate change is causing allergy seasons to start earlier in spring as well as summer and fall. They say longer allergy seasons produce longer allergic reaction times and increased medical costs. Experts say the best way to lessen an allergic reaction is to avoid places with airborne pollen.

Pollen season starts earlier and lasts longer due to climate change, and experts say it could be a problem for people with pollen allergies.
Research done in Germany and published this week in the journal Frontiers in Allergy shows that some pollen species are starting their seasons two days earlier each year over a 30-year period.
This is the latest in a series of studies showing that pollen season is lengthening, with some showing that pollen season in the United States and Canada has been extended by as much as 20 days over the past 30 years.
Dr Rita Kachru, an allergist at UCLA Health in California, said: “The seasons are definitely longer, the pollen season usually starts in the spring of March, now we're seeing it kicking in. mid-February and could last until May,” she said.
It's not just spring pollen season that's extending. Similar trends are being seen at other times of the year, says Kachru: “In the US, the grassy season or summer usually starts in May and ends around August, and now we see it. starting as early as April, and ending in early September,” she said. “Autumn, which is mostly outdoor weeds and mold, usually starts mostly from August to late November, and now it starts in August but will last longer into mid-December.”
Pollen grains are scattered from flowering plants, grasses, trees, weeds.
The allergens then spread through the air, causing problems for allergy sufferers.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 60 million people in the United States get allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, every year.
Climate change is likely to lead to a shift in precipitation, more frost-free days, warmer seasonal air temperatures, and more carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, says the CDC. ".
These changes can affect: when the pollen season begins and ends and how long each year lasts, how much pollen the tree produces and the amount of pollen in the air, how much pollen affects flowers on our health (“the allergenic potential” of pollen), the pollen we are exposed to, and our risk of experiencing allergy symptoms,” the agency added.

Exposure to pollen can cause many allergic reactions. “When you inhale pollen, if you have an allergy, it is recognized by our antibodies and those antibodies trigger the cells in our body to release chemical mediators, leading to to inflammation.” - Dr. Elisabeth D. Ference, an otolaryngologist at Keck, the most common of these mediators is USC Health's histamine in California.
People should take precautions when there are signs of pollen allergy such as: itchy eyes, itchy nose, sneezing, red eyes, cough, itchy throat, itchy ears....
Seek medical help Seek medical attention whenever you feel that your symptoms are seriously affecting your quality of life or that you are not responding to typical treatment such as over-the-counter antihistamines or over-the-counter steroid nasal sprays.
Tonya Winders, CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network, says that any allergy symptoms should be taken seriously. “It can be debilitating and even dangerous, especially if the person has an asthma attack.

People with allergies have several options to avoid or combat symptoms: avoidance, medication, and immunotherapy. "I'm an advocate of staying away because we know that if you can avoid the allergen, you're actually reducing the inflammatory response in the first place," says Kachru.
Dr. Marissa A. Love, an allergist and immunologist at the University of Kansas Health System, has similar advice. “Tracking daily pollen counts is also helpful,” she says. When pollen counts are high, you can minimize your exposure by closing windows, minimizing time outside, or taking a shower after being outdoors."
There are other options for those experiencing allergy symptoms
There are steroid nasal sprays, antihistamine nasal sprays, saline nasal washes, oral antihistamines, and decongestants
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mask use has This means that some people are already experiencing fewer symptoms from a pollen allergy than in the past, says Ference
He says: “Respirators with filtering levels can catch small particles like pollen which can help prevent inhalation. must be pollen, just make sure your mask is clean."

Every year, in the US, pollen-related medical costs exceed $3 billion, and a longer pollen season can mean even more people needing to seek care for allergies.
“Higher pollen concentrations and a longer pollen season can also make you more sensitive to allergens. This can cause asthma attacks in people with asthma that has impacted time at work and school,” states the US CDC.
Ference says the lengthening of allergy seasons may not only mean longer duration of symptoms for people, but may also require a change in treatment schedule.
“There are treatments that can help prevent symptoms. These treatments are more effective if started a few weeks before allergy symptoms start for seasonal pollen allergies,” she says.
“So if this study holds true, not only in Germany but also in California, then people may need to start treatment for allergies to tree pollen a few weeks earlier than now,” Ference added.
The above information is for reference only, you should consult your doctor before deciding to use any treatment method.

References
Healthline. Allergy-seasons-starting-earlier-due-to-climate-change