Pollen Season

This reporter has not been bothered but once in her life with a sinus infection.  Last week the spring pollen jumped on me so bad that it required a visit to my doctor.

What is with this pollen that is making so many ill?  I checked my trusty computer and learned that the allergy levels for last Sunday were 10.1, which are high.  In case you’re feeling bad this week, put pollen and allergy levels to blame. The allergy level for Monday was 10.5, Tuesday’s was down to 6.0 with the rain, Wednesday’s was 8.5 and today’s (Thursday) is 7.9.  Guess I’ll lay low for a few days, take my prescription along with Claritin and hope to feel better!

The major predominant pollens for this week come off birch, oaks, and juniper. If you’ve been around any cedar trees, you know the wind is blowing heavy pollen off them, too.  The forecast of higher pollen concentration will be based on rising temperatures.

What exactly is pollen? It is a very fine powder that comes from trees, grasses, flowers and weeds.  Wind and birds can carry this pollen from plant to plant to fertilize them.  When people who have a pollen allergy inhale the pollen, they get allergy symptoms. People are allergic to many different types of pollen.

One day you’re feeling fine and in the blink of an eye, symptoms seem to appear from nowhere. Mine began with a mild sore throat on one side, leading to a complete red, sore throat overnight.  Along with this came a headache, itching inside my ears, sneezing, runny nose, and a terrible hoarseness.  I tell you, I’ve got the works! Coughing all night is no fun and also came along with the rest!

How are we humans supposed to exist in the pollen-full spring? I know that some folks take Claritin daily, year-round, so when the springtime arrives, their allergies won’t act up so bad.  I’m beginning to think that is not a bad idea. I just hate to add another pill to the “pile” I already swallow.

According to many scientists, this spring season has the possibility of becoming a “pollen vortex.”  They think a wet winter will bring on more pollen because the ground is so wet.  If that’s the case, Boston and those other winter snowbound cities should have pollen galore!

When the ground is saturated, plants and their root systems are “very happy.”  This happiness causes the plants and their root systems to produce more pollen in spring and summer.  A late spring, which we are having, can be called a “pollen tsunami” because a variety of pollen kicks in at once.

It has been suggested that people with allergies begin using their allergy nasal sprays before their symptoms appear. This can reduce the amount of allergy medications patients will need to take over all.

Did you know that plants with brightly colored flowers and sweet smells rarely cause allergy symptoms?  That’s because birds and insects, rather than the wind, carry the pollen from these plants.

To keep up with the pollen count, go to the weather section of your newspaper or to a weather information website and enter your zip code.

To help your allergies, limit your time outdoors, wear a dust mask when cutting grass or raking leaves, clean and replace air conditioner filters often and use the clothes dryer rather than line drying clothes outside.

Well, it’s a little late for this reporter to adhere to most of this advice I’ve written about this year but I’m going to take some to heart for 2016.  It’s no fun being sick!