Why is the allergy season worse and longer this year?

MICHIGAN – Allergy season is back with a vengeance. A new report from Climate Centralshows that this allergy season will not only last longer, but will come with stronger symptoms.

This is bad news for the approximately 25% of Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. But this is a new reality due to a number of factors:

• Plants bloom and bloom earlier
• There is an overall warmer climate
• There are longer periods of free days in the ground.

It all comes down to the fact that plants have more time in the year to flower and have more time to release allergenic pollen.

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“Pollen levels are higher, so people who maybe have milder symptoms have more severe symptoms, because they’re just more exposed,” said Corewell Health allergist Dr. Jackie Eastman.

Dr. Eastman says she usually starts seeing patients with severe seasonal allergies in late April, but is already busy at her office.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America also released a report on the 20 hardest places to live with pollen allergies in 2023.While Michigan was not on the list, southern states are being hit hard.

“I think the lack of colder winters is actually a bit more challenging for southern states than it is here,” Dr. Eastman said.

It’s not just pollen that’s giving people grief this year, mold is also causing allergies to rise. Different types of mold can release tiny spores throughout the year, but tend to peak in late summer and fall. Dr. Eastman says a good indicator to see if you have a pollen allergy or a mold allergy is rain.

“Pollen allergic people will feel better when it’s raining, the rain will actually pull all that pollen out of the air, mold allergic people will feel worse because obviously everything gets wet,” she said. declared.

Dr. Eastman also says it’s important to separate allergy symptoms from something like a cold, the flu or COVID-19.

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Allergies mainly relate to runny eyes and nose, sneezing and sore throat. Infections like COVID-19 or the flu will have more severe symptoms like fever or cough. If over-the-counter medications aren’t helping allergies, it may be time to see an allergist or primary care physician.

Other tips for relieving allergy symptoms include keeping windows closed so pollen doesn’t get in and rinsing your nose.

You can track pollen levels here.