The Worst Allergy Season in Years
Will 2010's Allergy Season Be as Bad as They Say? If you've been keeping up with the news at all, you know it's bound to be a terrible allergy season this year. Then again, the news reports almost every year that the allergies are supposed to be, in layman's terms, really bad. So what makes this allergy season worse than all of the others?
You may find the answer surprising. Experts report that in most of the country, but especially in the Southeast, there's going to be an overwhelming amount of pollen in the air. This can be attributed to the late and long-lasting winter that swept most of the country months ago. This long winter affected the plants; instead of blooming in spurts as they tend to do when the weather is normal, they continued to lay dormant.
Now that there is a distinct end to winter, they're beginning to bloom all at once, flooding the atmosphere- and your sinuses- with pollen. In addition to the late winter, wind can be blamed for this onslaught of pollen. In areas that are going to be windy this year, the allergy season is going to be worse than ever; wind works to blow pollen from one place to another, which will obviously make allergy season even worse for people that are getting hit by it.
In many places, oak trees are going to be most to blame for allergy problems. Oak trees can produce three to six thousand particles of pollen per cubic meter, while it only takes ten particles to trigger an allergic reaction. Obviously this is bad news for anyone who lives in a heavily wooded area. Some areas are also going to be hit harder than others.
Among places that are claimed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to be the most challenging to live with for allergy sufferers right now are Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky. However, it's reported that most regions along the southeast and the lower east coast are going to be hit hard as well.
So what can you do if you suffer from allergies and live in an area that's going to be hit hard by the allergy season?
There really isn't any way to completely eliminate allergy problems, aside from avoiding going outside—and even that might not work if your house isn't completely airtight to the outside world. Not to mention that that is an impractical option for many people!
Luckily, there are a few less extreme things you can do to alleviate your symptoms. You can avoid opening your windows, which will let less pollen into your house. And there are many allergy medications available over-the-counter these days which should help alleviate your symptoms at least for a while.
You may find the answer surprising. Experts report that in most of the country, but especially in the Southeast, there's going to be an overwhelming amount of pollen in the air. This can be attributed to the late and long-lasting winter that swept most of the country months ago. This long winter affected the plants; instead of blooming in spurts as they tend to do when the weather is normal, they continued to lay dormant.
Now that there is a distinct end to winter, they're beginning to bloom all at once, flooding the atmosphere- and your sinuses- with pollen. In addition to the late winter, wind can be blamed for this onslaught of pollen. In areas that are going to be windy this year, the allergy season is going to be worse than ever; wind works to blow pollen from one place to another, which will obviously make allergy season even worse for people that are getting hit by it.
In many places, oak trees are going to be most to blame for allergy problems. Oak trees can produce three to six thousand particles of pollen per cubic meter, while it only takes ten particles to trigger an allergic reaction. Obviously this is bad news for anyone who lives in a heavily wooded area. Some areas are also going to be hit harder than others.
Among places that are claimed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to be the most challenging to live with for allergy sufferers right now are Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky. However, it's reported that most regions along the southeast and the lower east coast are going to be hit hard as well.
So what can you do if you suffer from allergies and live in an area that's going to be hit hard by the allergy season?
There really isn't any way to completely eliminate allergy problems, aside from avoiding going outside—and even that might not work if your house isn't completely airtight to the outside world. Not to mention that that is an impractical option for many people!
Luckily, there are a few less extreme things you can do to alleviate your symptoms. You can avoid opening your windows, which will let less pollen into your house. And there are many allergy medications available over-the-counter these days which should help alleviate your symptoms at least for a while.