Some adults develop pollen allergies for the first time due to climate change

For the last few years we live in a world where people pause every time they sneeze, every time they feel an itchy throat or a stuffy nose. Just a cold?

With a growing number of adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s, these symptoms are proving to be the hallmark of things that previously didn’t need to be addressed. seasonal allergies.

Dr. Clifford Bassett, an allergist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, said: “They will always say, ‘I don’t understand how this happened to me.'”

Dr. Michele Pham, an allergist and immunologist at the University of California, San Francisco, has noticed the same trend.

“We have had patients come to us who say, ‘This hasn’t been a problem in the past,'” Pham said.

It’s not clear how many people are experiencing pollen pain for the first time, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that about a quarter of U.S. adults will have seasonal allergies in 2021. seasonal allergies in adults.

A major factor in adult-onset seasonal allergies is climate change.

“The pollen season is now about three weeks longer than it was 30 years ago, and there’s about 20 percent more pollen in the air,” says ear, nose and throat expert and co-director of Climate. said Dr. Neelu Tummala. Institute of Health, George Washington University.those statistics are Studies published in 2021.

As temperatures in the Earth’s core rise, the ground thaws earlier in the year, prompting trees to wake from their winter sleep and bloom and produce pollen earlier than ever before.

“Pollen Storm”

It’s not just that the season is long. A huge amount of pollen in the air exploded.

Another cause of global warming, burning fossil fuels increases carbon dioxide. As CO2 levels rise, plants and trees produce more pollen.

Dr. Stanley Fineman, an allergist with Atlanta Allergy and Asthma and a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, calls this phenomenon a “pollen storm.”

“Pollen counts are much higher than in the past, especially this season,” he said.

Symptoms begin early in the year and are more severe. An increase in symptomatic allergies leads to more money spent on treatment, doctor visits, and impact on quality of life.

“It’s not just that the pollen allergy season is annoying,” Tumala said. “It also affects cognitive function. It affects the quality of sleep.”

Many people are likely genetically predisposed to allergies, but they’ve never suffered from allergies before, experts say.

Now that pollen counts have increased, “I think the impact is significant because the system is overloaded,” says Fineman.

Kiara Wilson, 32, a teacher in Brooklyn, New York, said the only thing she’s experienced in the last few spring seasons was a slightly itchy throat.

But this allergy season is very different. “I couldn’t stop sneezing. I had to sneeze 50 to 75 times,” Wilson said. “Actually, I had to buy allergy medicine for the first time.”

What are the symptoms of seasonal allergies?

Many of the symptoms of allergies, such as congestion and coughing, can overlap with respiratory viruses, but one symptom is itching, a tell-tale sign of an allergic reaction.

“The biggest symptom I would suggest is itchy eyes, nose and throat,” Bassett said.

However, symptoms are not always obvious and may overlap with other respiratory diseases.

“I have no doubt that patients came to our clinic who thought they had allergies, but they had Covid instead,” Pham said.

How are seasonal allergies treated?

The sheer number of allergy medications in pharmacies can be overwhelming.

Topical remedies, either prescription or over-the-counter, tend to be the most effective, according to UCSF Health’s Pham. They include nasal drops, eye drops, and skin creams.

Not just for those seeking pollen relief for the first time. As the allergy season lengthens and the amount of pollen in the air increases, doctors are changing their treatment instructions.

Tummala of George Washington University said some patients need to use allergy medications more often, in higher doses, or in combination with other strategies.

“Before we could just use intranasal steroids, Neti can be rinsed Then steroids,” she said.

Other ways to keep pollen away:

• Wear a hat and sunglasses outdoors.
• Laundry.
• Take a shower immediately after spending a long time outdoors.

Pollen dispersal tends to be low in the morning.

“If you need to do some outdoor activity, it’s time to do it,” Feynman said.

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