Early spring brings early, long allergy season – Deseret News

Seasonal allergies are getting an earlier than usual start, courtesy of unseasonably warm weather in parts of the country, including the Intermountain West. And allergy experts say allergies are not only arriving early, but they’re expected to linger longer, as well.

According to a March report titled “Emergency” from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, which is based in Washington, D.C., at least 106 million people in the U.S. experience allergies, including a lot of pollen allergies.

And Boise, Idaho, tops its list of cities challenged by allergies because of an abundance of pollen and a relatively low level of allergy specialists. Tree pollen in the region has peaked earlier than normal. Three Utah cities made the foundation’s “top 20 allergy capitals” ranking: Provo came in No. 4, Ogden at No. 8 and Salt Lake City at 13. The full top 20 are listed below.

The misery of allergies

Allergies happen when your body is exposed to a substance your immune system decides is bad and overreacts to it. And allergies are among the most common chronic diseases. The substance can be a drug, food, insects, latex, mold, pets or — in the case of seasonal allergies — pollen, per the foundation. As many as 30% of adults and 40% of children in the U.S. are believed to have at least one allergy.

While pollen is vital to some plant reproduction, enabling important things like fruit on trees, it’s miserable if you happen to have specific allergies, because pollen’s an airborne allergen that can travel for miles in a stiff breeze.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes pollen grains as “tiny ‘seeds’ dispersed from flowering plants, trees, grass, and weeds. The amount and type of pollen in the air depends on the season and geographic region. Though pollen counts are typically higher during the warmer seasons, some plants pollinate year-round.”

The foundation notes that “the impact of longer, more intense pollen seasons goes beyond simply more sneezing. Pollen is a common trigger of allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, nasal polyps and eosinophilic esophagitis.”

Another common symptom, per the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, is itching. And sometimes breathing becomes difficult. Allergies may also less commonly create a sore throat, headache, cough and fatigue.

Weather, by the way — extreme rainfall and hotter temperatures — can bolster allergy problems indoors, leading to mold, making the air worse for those with breathing problems or allergies to mold and making it hard to control asthma.

Stop allergies from wearing you down

The first step to deal with seasonal allergies is to try to avoid them. Checking pollen counts can help those who are sensitive stay indoors or take precautions on high pollen days.

You can check pollen counts from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s National Allergy Bureau. Local news may also have pollen counts available.

USA Today says people who know they have seasonal allergies can get a head start on managing them with medication. “Most medications work best if taken before pollen hits the air. Ask your doctor when you should start treatment; some allergists recommend treatment about two weeks before symptoms typically surface.”

If you’re staying indoors, shut your windows. And choose high-efficiency filters to trap pollen and other allergens in homes with forced air conditioning or heating.

Weather Bug has a list of tips to prevent problems from pollen:

• Wash your hands after handling anything that might have pollen, dust or other allergens on it. If you’re working outdoors in an area with lots of potential for pollen, wash your clothes, too.
• Flush your sinuses to wash away histamines that cause allergies from your nose.
• Use antihistamines, which are available over the counter and by prescription. But pay attention to the directions.
• Prepare if you’re going to be near pollen. Wear a mask.
• Try quercetin, an antioxidant Weather Bug says “helps stabilize the cells in your nose, keeping them from being irritated” by environmental allergens. Garlic and onions contain it or you can find it in supplements.
• Other foods for fighting allergies are omega-3 fatty acids from fish, walnuts, meat from grass-fed animals and eggs.

Worst allergy cities

The foundation created its allergy capitals list based on data from the 100 most populated metropolitan statistical areas in the contiguous 48 states. Factors considered were pollen scores for trees, grass and weed pollen, over-the-counter allergy medication use and number of allergy specialists.

The top 2026 “allergy capitals” of 100 cities ranked, per the foundation, are:

1. Boise, Idaho
2. San Diego, California
3. Tulsa, Oklahoma
4. Provo, Utah
5. Rochester, New York
6. Wichita, Kansas
7. Raleigh, North Carolina
8. Ogden, Utah
9. Spokane, Washington
10. Greenville, South Carolina
11. San Francisco, California
12. Minneapolis, Minnesota
13. Salt Lake City, Utah
14. Richmond, Virginia
15. Colorado Springs, Colorado
16. Little Rock, Arkansas
17. Toledo, Ohio
18. New Orleans, Louisiana
19. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
20. Lakeland, Florida

The 10 cities the foundation deems to have the least challenges related to allergies are Houston, Texas; New York, New York; San Antonio, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Phoenix, Arizona; Fresno, California; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; El Paso, Texas; McAllen, Texas; and Tucson, Arizona.