2008 Ragweed Allergy Season Brings High Pollen Count
It’s only early September but reports are coming in that the 2008 ragweed allergy season is going to be a tough one for allergy surferrers.
In Boston, WBZ’s Dr. Mallika Marshall reports that Boston-area residents are wondering why allergies are affecting them even when they have not been affected all year. Marshall suggests that a higher-than-usual ragweed, pollen count due to summer rains that have kept pollen subdued thus far.
But, additional rains have also meant that this ragweed season has yielded a bountiful bumper crop of ragweed that combines with the finally-unleashed pollens to infiltrate and irritate eyes, noses and lungs of ragweed allergy sufferers.
In Maryland, Dr. Rodney Taylor, University of Maryland Medical Center, placed blame for the acute allergy season on hurricanes, too, according to WJZ’s Jessica Kartalija in Baltimore:
“It’s not uncommon that during the tropical seasons and hurricanes and again in late August, which coincides with that time, that you are going to see patients coming in complaining about allergies.”
Ragweed is not the only problem for allergy sufferers as the wet weather can also create mold which may provide irritation.
In spite of the rough allergy season, though, Dr. Taylor says to get out and have fun this fall. If you have significant problems when you’re outdoors, you should probably get checked out for possible asthma problems.
Among solutions for allergies, Kartalija says that topical steroid spray by prescription, nasal saline and some over-the-counter medications can help.
September 12, 2008 – 11:23 pm