Allergy season is getting longer; some see more severe cases

May 10—MANKATO — Spring is often a difficult time of year for Ashley Fyvie because of her seasonal allergies. The Mankato resident seeks treatment to build up a tolerance to her allergens, such as pollen, to reduce symptoms.

The warm weather can be a joy after a long cold winter but can be a burden for people with allergies because the weather can drive up pollen counts and prolong allergy season.

Spring was even warmer than usual this year; the Department of Natural Resources reported it was the eighth warmest March on record in the Twin Cities.

Fyvie said if she wasn't receiving treatment, she probably wouldn't have been able to go outside this spring because of the pollen count.

People with seasonal allergies often experience symptoms in the spring, summer and early fall. The warmer weather and longer allergy season is part of a growing trend.

A new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the window for pollen-related allergies has been getting longer. Researchers found a strong link between planetary warming and allergy season. Warming air and higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are causing pollen seasons in North America to start about 20 days earlier compared to 1990.

Those same factors also have contributed to higher pollen counts, with about 21% more pollen in the air during pollen season now compared to 1990. Researchers say the rise in higher pollen counts is accelerating.

This is problematic for the estimated 60 million Americans who suffer from allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Not all allergies are seasonal but many are.

SriniVasan Ramanuja, an allergy specialist at Mankato Clinic, has seen people visiting his practice for allergy symptoms triggered by pollen during more months of the year, showing the season is getting longer. He said some mention that their symptoms have been becoming worse as well.

He has seasonal allergies himself and said he hasn't experienced a change in when his symptoms begin. He tries to be proactive about his allergies and takes over-the-counter medications to mitigate symptoms.

Jennifer Johnson, a family medicine and prenatal care specialist at Mayo Clinic Health Systems, said she's seen an increase of people seeking care for allergy symptoms because over-the-counter medication may not be working anymore.

Johnson has seen patients coming in because their symptoms are becoming more intense and are lasting longer. People who usually experience symptoms for two weeks are seeking help because their symptoms are lasting a month, she said.

She said there also have been more patients whose symptoms are getting worse as they age.

Combating allergies

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

While medications can be helpful, Johnson said they can only do so much. She also recommends avoiding going outside on days when there is high pollen count and keeping windows closed as much as possible during this time.

Other recommended steps include changing clothes often, taking a shower and washing hair before bed.

"Don't hang laundry out to dry when there's pollen out," Johnson said.

If these steps aren't doing enough, experts suggest visiting a local allergist.

"We are here to help people figure out how to manage their symptoms and figure out what is best," Johnson said.

Ramanuja conducts allergy tests with patients to first determine what a person may be allergic to. The process involves using scratch tests that contain extracts of allergens such as pollen and cat hair. The tests are applied to a small patch of skin to see if the patient reacts. Then he works with patients to determine next steps.

For people who may not have success with over-the-counter medications, one treatment Ramanuja uses with patients is allergy shots.

The shots are a form of immunotherapy that involve injecting a small amount of the allergen under the skin about once a month for three to five years. It helps a person build up a tolerance to that allergen.

Fyvie is a patient of Ramanuja and started receiving allergy shots about five years ago.

"They've been really helpful in managing my allergy symptoms," she said. {id="blockColorblindContent"} {/div}