Apr. 14--First the rain, and now the bloom -- and the sniffling and sneezing.
Allergy sufferers in the central San Joaquin Valley had better get prepared for a long hay-fever season. Grasses and weeds soaked up spring rains like sponges, and pollen production has expanded accordingly.
Both nationally and locally, this is shaping up to be one of the worst allergy years, Fresno allergists say.
In the Valley, blooming trees, grasses and weeds -- already in high gear -- will pump out pollen until at least July. Last year, most of the grasses had dried out by June and the pollen was gone, the doctors said.
"We're going to get back to our normal allergy season, where it extends to the Fourth of July," said Dr. Richard DeMera, a Fresno allergist.
And that will give allergy sufferers little time for respite before autumn weeds bombard the air with pollens, beginning in late August and September. "With this rain we're getting now, it may lead to a worse fall allergy season," DeMera said.
This spring, the fluctuation in the Valley's weather -- from sun to wind to hail -- has made for a more pronounced and irritating season for hay fever sufferers, said Dr. A.M. Aminian, a Fresno allergist.
Not only does rain make plants bloom more and release more pollen, he said, but the moisture produces molds that discard spores as the weather warms, he said.
Some patients whom Aminian hadn't seen for two or three years in his Fresno allergy office have come in this spring for relief. This allergy season is "more intense," he said.
DeMera hasn't been this busy since opening his private allergy practice three years ago. And that's significant, considering the economy, he said. People will put off visits to an allergy doctor when they're watching their family budgets, he said.
The next couple of weeks could be some of the nose-blowing worst for patients with allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, the doctors said. Bermuda grass and olive trees are pollinating at the same time -- both rank as major hay-fever catalysts.
People with hay fever get itchy eyes and runny noses because their hypersensitive immune systems react to pollen as if it's a threat and release chemicals called histamines to attack the pollen. Histamines cause the uncomfortable symptoms.
There are ways to stop the allergic response. And people with hay fever should start taking allergy medications as soon as symptoms begin, DeMera and Aminian said. Allergies can trigger asthma symptoms in some people, the doctors said.
Over-the-counter, nonsedating antihistamines can help relieve symptoms. The doctors caution against using antihistamines that cause drowsiness while driving or operating heavy equipment. And there are good prescription nasal sprays. But a simple solution of salt water washes pollen and pollution out of nostrils.
Allergy shots are a long-term solution, they said.
Avoiding pollen is another tip. It's a bad idea to go for an early-morning walk in the spring -- that's when pollen counts are at their highest, Aminian said.
Sara Offen, 37, of Fresno pays the price with post-nasal drip when she ignores that advice and takes a morning walk -- but it's the only time the stay-at-home mother of a 2-year-old can get the outdoor exercise.
She just saw Aminian for a sinus infection and strep throat, Offen said. She gets the infections when allergy season arrives and her head becomes congested.
"I hate this time of year," Offen said. And thus far, this allergy season, "has been pretty bad."
The reporter can be reached at banderson@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6310.
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