There’s something in the air.
And it’s creating one of the worst allergy seasons on record, say area doctors whose waiting rooms are overwhelmed with coughing, wheezing and sniffling patients.
“It definitely seems to be worse,” said West Palm Beach allergist Dr. Daniel Tucker. “I’m seeing more and sicker people than usual, including people that haven’t had symptoms for years.”
Our sneezy weather comes after a month of abnormally high pollen counts in the West Palm Beach area. According to the website Pollen.com, 26 of the last 32 days saw pollen counts of 10 or higher, on a scale of zero to 12.
Oak trees, in particular, are spewing large quantities of the microscopic particles that create misery in the noses, throats and eyes of seasonal allergy sufferers. The yellow dust covering our cars is pollen from laurel oaks, a native tree.
When pollen hits the bloodstream of susceptible people, it creates histamines, which in turn trigger a cascade of allergy symptoms. More than 60 million Americans have them, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, which says allergies are on the rise nationally.
“The pollen counts have been unusually high. This has been near the highest that we see,” said Dr. Clive Roberson, an allergist with offices in Palm Beach and Martin counties.
If Susan Cingari could stop sneezing, she’d agree. From her Super Bowl coverage in late January to spring training this month, the freelance TV producer, who works for CNN, “Entertainment Tonight” and other broadcast outlets, says it’s been 10 years since her allergies have been this severe.
“I even lost my voice,” said Cingari, who lives in Boynton Beach. “In TV, you can’t get anybody to talk if they can’t hear you.”
Flower pollen, disseminated primarily by insects, rarely causes allergic reactions, say doctors. Instead, seasonal allergies are a reaction to the tiny, powdery male cells of the trees, grasses and weeds that depend on wind pollination, according to the National Allergy Bureau.
Along with high heating bills, this year’s sneeze fest is a souvenir of our coldest winter in 30 years.
“Some plants, especially trees, were a little later blooming so more plants are blooming together, creating more pollen at one time,” said paleo-botanist David Jarzen of the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, who studies pollen.
Antihistamines such as Claritin and Zyrtec work for most people. Decongestants, such as Sudafed or Benadryl, are also effective, doctors say, but can have side effects such as elevated blood pressure or sleepiness.
We may be able to take a deep breath soon, though.
After forecast pollen counts of 9.6 and 9.7 Saturday and Sunday, Palm Beach County‘s count dropped to 5.7 on Monday, according to Pollen.com.
