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 White Plains, NY - The pattern is the same this April as it was two years ago: it’s been mild and dry for the past two weeks and the tree pollen count— as measured by Fordham University’s Louis Calder Center’s Aero-Allergen Monitoring Station in Armonk— spiked last week to 11,703 grains per cubic meter, the second highest count in the 12 years that the station has been taking pollen counts.
On May 5, 2006, the tree pollen count soared to 20,000 in Westchester—a record— heightening the misery index of what was already a miserable allergy season.
Like then, today’s allergy sufferers are seeking relief from incessant sneezing and coughing, running noses, itchy throats, headaches and tearing eyes. According to Kira Geraci-Ciardullo, M.D., Chief, Allergy Section of White Plains Hospital Center—who has been treating patients for more than 20 years—it’s only going to get worse over the next four weeks if there if the weather pattern continues. “Although the allergy season began in early April, we’ve been treating lots of people who are experiencing discomfort.”
Guy Robinson, Ph.D., manager of the monitoring station which is affiliated with Biologic Services and is a professor with the Department of Natural Sciences at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus, said that pollen from birch trees accounted for today’s extraordinarily high pollen count. “To put today’s pollen count in perspective, earlier this week on Monday, April 21, the count was 144, mostly from juniper/cedar trees and that was considered high. It seems like everything is happening at once, as in 2006.”
When the pollen count is high, most sensitive individuals will have symptoms. When the pollen count is very high—or off the charts like today’s count—almost all individuals with any sensitivity will have symptoms.
Last year, the allergy season was mild, thanks to a very rainy April which included a nor’easter. Rain helps to lower the pollen count. Dr. Geraci-Ciardullo noted: ”The rule of thumb is that the milder and drier the spring, the higher the tree pollen counts which peak generally in early-mid May.”
Dr. Geraci-Ciardullo advises patients to stay indoors if possible during the early morning hours when the pollen counts are at their highest and to use the air conditioner at home and in the car to help filter out the pollen. She also noted that antihistamines and nasal sprays often bring some relief during a mild allergy season. But, if this year’s tree pollen counts continue to soar, some patients may experience wheezing and difficulty in breathing, suggesting possibly more serious medical conditions like asthma. In those cases, testing is required to identify the specific allergens that are triggering these reactions and allergy shots may be needed on a regular basis to help decrease respiratory or eye symptoms.
It’s also recommended that individuals shower and wash their hair thoroughly after being outdoors every day as pollen is often carried into the home in this manner. Pets also need to be brushed off every time they return from the outdoors. And exercise is best done in the evening when the pollen counts are at their lowest.
As to what lies ahead on the annual pollen calendar, the grass pollen that begins this month will end in July, followed by a brief respite until mid-August when the ragweed season starts. And the intensity of the ragweed season will be determined by what happens this summer. Generally, the drier the summer, the less intense will be the ragweed in the fall.
White Plains Hospital Center (WPHC) is a 292-bed voluntary, not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of offering high quality, acute health care and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. WPHC is a member of the New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System and the Stellaris Health Network, Inc. For additional information, visit www.wphospital.org.
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