With Spring season in full effect, finals week and allergies are the top two picks for student phobias right now. Taking an exam is stressful enough without a runny nose or a side-eye-catching cough. Pollen allergies this season are more severe and widespread across the country, and climate change may be to blame.
According to nonprofit news organization Climate Central, pollen concentrations in North America have increased by 21% between 1990 and 2018. In addition to greater severity, pollen seasons have also gotten longer by approximately 20 days on average.
Climate Central assessed temperature data in the U.S. since 1970 to see how freeze-free seasons, when plants can flower, have changed. 85% of the 203 cities studied developed longer freeze-free seasons and the longest extension of the season occurred here in the West, approximately 27 days.
On whether his own allergies have been worse this year, SSU Senior Andrew Olson said “They definitely have been, I’ve been taking allergy pills every day now.” Junior Chris Strouse relayed a similar experience of dealing with a more severe runny nose than usual.
Alongside droughts, rising sea levels, and the zombie-like infection from The Last of Us, exacerbated pollen allergies can also be attributed to climate change. Speaking to Boston 25 News, Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health explained that due to global warming, plants are now releasing pollen earlier out of confusion and colder climates are becoming more habitable to pollen-producing plants. Higher emissions of CO2 also help pollen-producing plants grow.
In addition to the possibility of infections in serious cases, allergies can welcome viruses in a terrifying way, according to Nadeau. “Mucus is basically sugar water. Bacteria love sugar and because you’re so exhausted fighting these allergies, people can get viruses, as well.”
In terms of what allergens are primarily to blame, grass and trees work differently from one another. Species of grass have a wider effect because they cross-react. “You can be allergic to oak but not to sycamore. But our grasses, called northern grasses, have a common allergen.” that is how Santa Rosa allergist Michael Martin explained it for The Press Democrat.
Recent rains have shielded the North Bay from the onslaught of allergy season but with now dry soil and clear skies, the stage is set for pollen to reach its full effect. The seasonal time for grass pollen in particular is only just beginning.
Grass can be prevented from creating pollen by mowing, but trees are more difficult to curb. , and according to Pollen Library, significantly severe tree allergens in Springtime Sonoma County are species of oak, willow, ash, and walnut.
In the same article as Dr. Martin, Santa Rosa family practice physician Michael Carlston says if somebody finds their allergies are acting up, the first thing to do is remove themself from the allergen. Go somewhere with air conditioning and close the doors and windows. Weather conditions like high winds and temperatures facilitate the spread and acceleration of pollen production, so be conscious of those.
For smaller preventative steps, Dr. Carlston recommends: “Wear a mask when gardening. Wash your hair at night to get rid of pollens that hang onto gel and mousse.” He recommended Omega-3 oils for inflammation, and for natural treatments he named nettle, butterbur, and bioflavonoid quercetin.
Students can find prescription and non-prescription medicine at the Student Health Center in the pharmacy. Only prescriptions made by SHC medical providers can be refilled. For more information, students can call the SHC at (707)-664-2921.
