Health
Drops in temperature can encourage pollen growth and trigger allergies
While Phoenix residents can finally enjoy relief from the summer heat, many will be faced with a new problem: fall allergy season is upon us and may be even stronger.
Living in the desert doesn't mean Arizonans are immune to seasonal allergies.
Spring is the worst allergy season in Phoenix, usually peaking between March and May, but some people experience a resurgence of allergy symptoms in the fall. Fall pollen counts are highest from August through mid-October.
About 30% of Americans experience seasonal allergies, and 9% of Arizonans suffer from asthma, putting them at increased risk during allergy season, but experts say pollen is understudied in the state.
Researchers hope to learn more about allergy triggers and how pollen-producing plants are adapting to new environmental factors. Climate change, urbanization and weather are all contributing to intensifying allergy seasons across the country.
“There are other important factors that affect pollen, not just precipitation but humidity, wind, wind direction,” says Dr. Matthew Rank, an allergist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. “The amount of pollutants in the air probably affects the amount of pollen in the air. We don't know all of it yet.”
Throughout the year, different groups of plants release pollen to reproduce and cause respiratory and sinus symptoms in some people. In the fall, grasses and weeds, especially ragweed, release pollen.
Scientists say that as the planet warms due to climate change, temperatures rise and heat continues into fall, lengthening the growing season for plants. Pollen production typically ends with the first freeze, and as the freeze comes later and later, Americans are experiencing a longer fall allergy season.
“Many plants release pollen and use the atmosphere to move it around,” said Alison Steiner, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Michigan. “Pollen is very dependent on climate and weather, so one of the things we're studying is how climate change is affecting the timing and amount of pollen release.”
Arizona may not be on the same trajectory because desert plants rely heavily on water resources to grow and reproduce, but urbanization and increased atmospheric carbon could lead to an increase in fall pollen-producing weeds and grasses.
Here's what you need to know about allergy season and how the change in weather can affect your allergies.
What causes seasonal allergies?
Allergy sufferers may notice symptoms with the start of a new season. Even in the desert, plants go through life cycles that are tied to changes in the weather throughout the year.
“[Pollen]is how plants exchange genetic information,” says Theresa Crimmins, director of the U.S. National Phenology Network. “Male pollen needs to reach the female flowers to fertilize them so that fruits and seeds can develop.”
Most plants produce flowers and fruits to attract animals and insects to carry their genetic material, but a few trees, grasses, shrubs, and weeds produce pollen particles that are small enough to fly around through the wind, spreading their genetic material.
These tiny particles can irritate the respiratory system and trigger seasonal allergies. In the fall, ragweed is the main culprit for allergy symptoms.
“A lot of people are allergic to ragweed, which typically occurs in the late summer and early fall when the days start to get shorter,” Steiner says.
For most people, the immune system recognizes pollen as harmless, but when pollen gets into your nose, eyes, lungs, or lands on your skin, your body overreacts, triggering an immune response that causes an unfortunate few people to develop allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of seasonal allergies include runny nose, sneezing, difficulty breathing, poor quality sleep, and itchy and irritated eyes. Allergies cause the airways to swell, putting asthma sufferers at increased risk of attacks and hospitalization.
“The main problem is that the body overreacts to something,” Rank says. “When the body overreacts, the immune system kicks in and causes some pretty unpleasant symptoms for a lot of people.”
When is allergy season in Arizona and how might it change?
Arizona has only one official pollen counting station, run by scientists at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Mayo pollen expert Dr. Sergey Okukul has been collecting, counting and recording pollen samples for five years.
While Mayo Clinic researchers are making some observations based on their data, the lab doesn't yet have the long-term records needed to draw definitive conclusions about how environmental changes will affect Arizona's plants and allergy seasons.
“Arizona is different than a lot of other places in terms of pollen distribution and when it's released,” Rank says. “We've found that in Arizona, you can find pollen pretty much any time of the year.”
Some trees in the region pollinate in January and February, resulting in high pollen counts before the spring pollen rush. Although pollen levels decrease during the heat of summer, Arizonans will likely experience the greatest relief from allergy symptoms during this time of year.
“Plants won't pollinate if temperatures are above 110 degrees Fahrenheit,” Rank said, “so with higher temperatures in Phoenix and longer, warmer summers, that could reduce pollination.”
With the arrival of the monsoon, rainfall kicks off the growing season for grasses and weeds, and pollen usually begins to spread by mid-August.
“Many factors could be at play,” Okukul says, “for example, pollution levels. Ozone changes pollen and makes it more allergenic. Carbon dioxide also plays a role. Carbon dioxide is a nutrient for plants, so they grow more and produce more pollen.”
Urbanization can also make allergies worse: Ragweed grows stronger as land is ravaged for roads and housing developments. Rising temperatures make ragweed more plentiful.
2003 Study They found that the urban heat island effect – where concrete, buildings and other infrastructure absorb and re-radiate the sun's heat – can encourage ragweed growth in cities, increasing pollen production.
Even with reduced grass and weed pollen, allergy sufferers are still at risk: Juniper can shed large amounts of pollen in November and December.
“The direction the wind is blowing and many other temperature conditions affect how much pollen gets into our noses and eyes,” Rank said.
Changes in the landscape due to climate, weather patterns, and urbanization could cause plants to produce more pollen over a longer period of time, potentially intensifying allergy symptoms. Okukul plans to continue collecting pollen samples to learn more about Phoenix's allergens.
How can Arizonans respond?
Seasonal allergies can be frustrating for weeks and affect your quality of life, but there are some things you can do to keep symptoms under control year-round.
According to Rank, there are three ways to combat allergies.
- It's important to avoid contact with allergy triggers, but Rank acknowledges that this can be difficult. While you can't avoid going outdoors, Rank suggests getting changed and showering as soon as possible after spending time outside. This will limit your ongoing exposure to pollen.
- Medication. There are several medications available with minimal side effects, many of which are available over the counter.
- For those who still struggle to control their symptoms, Rank recommends a type of exposure therapy, or desensitization therapy. By gradually exposing patients to their allergy triggers, medical professionals can encourage their immune system to become more tolerant of, rather than reacting to, the allergen. This therapy can train the immune system to ignore the allergen, but it takes a lot of time and effort.
There are also big-scale solutions to combating allergy season: Climate change is intensifying allergy season across the U.S., but minimizing atmospheric warming can help keep pollen in check.
“This is a side effect of climate change that could impact people's lives in ways we never thought possible,” Steiner said, “but ultimately, in terms of slowing warming, this is our best shot at limiting many of these changes in pollen.”
As scientists continue to study seasonal allergies and the plants that cause them, Mayo Clinic hopes to see overall trends that can help inform treatment across the Valley, and a general pollen forecast could help people be more proactive about taking their medications.
“We're hopeful that a lot of the modeling we can do will help solve this problem,” Steiner said. “If people know pollen season is coming up, they can start taking their medication earlier and manage their symptoms.”
Haley Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic. azcentral.comEmail us your story tips [email protected].
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