The season of allergies is getting longer.Some see more serious cases | Local news

Mankato — Spring is often a difficult time due to seasonal allergies to Ashley Fibby. Residents of Mankato are seeking treatment to build resistance to allergens such as pollen to alleviate their symptoms.

Warm climates are a pleasure after a long, cold winter, but they can be a burden for people with allergies because they increase pollen counts and prolong the season of allergies.

This spring was warmer than usual. The Department of Natural Resources reported that it was the eighth warmest March on record in the Twin Cities.

Fyvie said she wouldn’t have been able to get out this spring because of the pollen count if she hadn’t been treated.

People with seasonal allergies often have symptoms in spring, summer, and early autumn. Warm climates and long allergic seasons are part of the growth trend.

A new study in the National Academy of Sciences journal Proceedings found a long window for pollen-related allergies. Researchers have found a strong link between planetary warming and the season of allergies. Due to the warm air and high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the pollen season begins in North America about 20 days earlier than in 1990.

These same factors also contributed to the increase in pollen counts, with an increase in airborne pollen of approximately 21% during the pollen season compared to 1990. According to researchers, the increase in pollen numbers is accelerating.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, this is a problem for an estimated 60 million Americans suffering from allergies. Not all allergies are seasonal, but many are seasonal.

Drini Vasan Ramanuja, an allergist at Mankato Clinic, sees people visiting his clinic for allergic symptoms caused by pollen more months of the year and shows that the season is getting longer. He said some said their symptoms were getting worse.

He said he had a seasonal allergy and that there was no change in the time when the symptoms began. He is active in allergies and is taking over-the-counter medications to relieve his symptoms.

Jennifer Johnson, a specialist in family medicine and prenatal care at Mayo Clinic Health Systems, said more and more people are seeking care for allergic symptoms as over-the-counter medications have ceased to work.

Johnson has seen patients come in as the symptoms become more severe and last longer. She said that people who usually experience symptoms for two weeks are seeking help because the symptoms last for a month.

She also said that more and more patients are getting worse with age.

Fight against allergies

To combat allergic symptoms, local doctors recommend taking over-the-counter medications such as Allegra, Claritin, and nasal drops.

The drug may help, but Johnson said they can only do so. She also recommends staying out on pollen-rich days and keeping windows closed as much as possible during this time.

Other recommended steps include changing clothes frequently, taking a shower, and washing your hair before going to bed.

“Don’t dry your laundry when it comes out,” Johnson said.

If these steps are not done well, a specialist is advised to visit a local allergist.

“We are here to help people understand how to manage their symptoms and what is best,” Johnson said.

Ramanuja first conducts an allergy test on patients to determine what they are allergic to. This process uses a scratch test that includes extracts of allergens such as pollen and cat hair. The test is applied to a small patch of skin to see if the patient responds. He then works with the patient to determine the next step.

For those who may not succeed with over-the-counter medications, one treatment Ramanuja uses for patients is allergy shots.

Shot is a type of immunotherapy that injects a small amount of allergen subcutaneously about once a month for 3 to 5 years. It helps a person build resistance to that allergen.

Fyvie is a patient of Ramanuja and started taking allergy shots about 5 years ago.

“They really helped me manage my allergic symptoms,” she said. {{id = ”blockColorblindContent”} {/ div}