Rainy spring bringing heavy dose of allergies


Apr. 20--Allergy tips

Suffering from allergies? Doctors have a few tips on ways to cope:

Check pollen counts and exercise indoors when counts are high. Pollen levels are typically highest in the early mornings

Take a shower after being outdoors to wash off pollen residue

Keep windows and doors closed

Invest in an air purifier

Change your air conditioning filters each month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer)

Take an over-the-counter antihistamine

For a natural method, try nasal irrigation. Saline sinus rinses can be found at most drug stores

Recognize symptoms early, and don't wait to get treatment

Severe allergy sufferers may want to consider getting an allergy shot at their doctors office. The shot usually works in about 80 percent of patients

By the numbers:

50 million -- estimated number of Americans who suffer from allergies and asthma

$6 billion -- annual costs for allergies and asthma ($5.7 billion in medications and $300 million in office visits)

40 million -- number of Americans who list indoor/outdoor allergies as their primary allergy

10 million -- number of people allergic to cat dander, the most common pet allergy

4 million -- the number of missed or lost workdays each year as a result of allergy or asthma-related ailments.

Statistics from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

LONG BEACH -- The heavy dose of rain this year may make for a colorful nature walk, but the profusion of spring foliage leaves many allergy sufferers itching, wheezing and sneezing.

Some local experts say this allergy season is shaping up to be a doozy, likely due to more than 12 inches of rain since January -- about 30 percent more than normal.

Doctors say they're seeing an increased number of patients this spring and seeing an increase in the severity of symptoms.

"This has definitely been much worse than previous years," said Dr. Ammar Hatab with the Long Beach-based Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Care Medical Center, which has reported a nearly 30 percent increase in patients compared with last year.

"We started seeing a flow of patients about three or four weeks ago," he said. "Patients are also reporting worse symptoms... more coughing, more shortness of breath for asthma sufferers."

Doctors say an estimated 35 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever. Airborne tree, grass and weed pollens and mold spores are the biggest culprits.

This year has been especially bad in the Southeast, where weather experts say the explosion of spring pollen is likely due to an unseasonably cold winter, which delayed blooming in some foliage.

Here in Southern California, however, allergy season is almost year-round.

"We pay a price for the excellent weather here, because

allergy season tends to span from February through the end of October," said Dr. Steven Meltzer with the Allergy & Asthma Care Center of Southern California in Long Beach.

Meltzer says he's also seen more patients this season, due to a combination of rain, wind and pollen.

"We do expect this allergy season to be a little bit worse," Meltzer said. "We've had the rain, wind and hot and cold weather changes. These weather changes all cause an increase in pollen exposure."

Add a dose of air pollution from the ports and freeways, and Long Beach area residents get a double whammy, he added.

"There's been studies done at UCLA and USC that show pollution tends to enhance allergies to various pollens," Meltzer said.

While Southern California has a nearly year-round allergy season, the region does have its times for different types of pollen.

Meltzer says we're now in the midst of tree pollen season. Grass season tends to pick up in late spring, followed by weed season, which starts in late summer and lasts through fall.

One major culprit in the Long Beach area, he added, is Bermuda grass pollen, which picks up in March and lasts through the end of October.

Daily pollen counts can be checked on the website .

As of Monday, Long Beach's pollen count was at a medium-high level, with counts expected drop over the next three days, according to .

The country's worst cities for allergy and asthma sufferers on Monday were Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Bridgeport, Connecticut; and Grand Junction, Colorado.

Places that breathed easiest were Eugene, Oregon; Salem, Oregon; Sacramento; San Francisco; and Bellingham, Washington, also from .

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America compiles an annual list of the most challenging places to live for allergy and asthma sufferers.

The list is rated by pollen counts, number of allergy medications used and number of allergy specialists. Topping that list was McAllen, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; Louisville, Kentucky; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Jackson, Mississippi.

kelly.puente@presstelegram.com, (562) 499-1305

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