Buffalo, NY (WBEN) You can see it. And many can feel it.
There's a lot of pollen in the air already this spring season, and one local allergist tells WBEN he believes this allergy season will be one of the longest and most intense we've had in recent memory.
Allergist Dr. Stanley Schwartz says he doesn't have an exact count of how much pollen there is, but "in terms of non quantitative and qualitative amounts, there's a lot in the air right now. And I know that because of what I hear from my patients," says Schwartz.
Schwartz says he gets the same question every year, how bad is allergy season this year? Each year, his answer is generally the same. "Previously, I would respond to that by saying, 'Well, you just don't remember what last year was like ... and it may not be as bad as you think it is.' Not this year, it's as bad as they think it is. And perhaps even worse," explains Schwartz.
Dr. Schwartz attributes the severity to the effects of global warming. He says people are experiencing longer and more intense seasons. "Right now, we're in the midst of the tree pollen season, and those trees that pollinate with tiny little green flowers that you really you might even just call them buds, you wouldn't recognize them as flowers. They're pollinating through the air. So the wind picks up the pollen and distributes [it] and the sufferers experience," notes Schwartz. He says we're going to move fairly shortly into the grass season, which starts in June. Come the fall, he says expect the ragweed season and then late fall weed season.
Schwartz says effective treatment is available over the counter, in particular, with the use of steroid nasal sprays. He says don't be alarmed about the term steroid. "They get a little bit concerned particularly if it refers to a child. They're worried about stunting, growth and other effects but generally speaking, the amount that you get from a nasal spray is so small that it's unlikely to cause any significant medical problems due to the medication," says Schwartz. He says it's two sprays in each nostril, once a day. "The important thing to remember when using nasal steroids, you've got to use them constantly, daily throughout the allergy season," explains Schwartz.
Schwartz says the season began in mid-March and could go until the first hard freeze, which may not happen until November.
