The sneezing season has arrived with a vengeance.
A wet winter and spring has allowed trees to flourish – which means plenty of allergy-inducing pollen.
“We’re expecting high pollen counts, which translates into a bad season for allergy sufferers,” said Marjorie Slankard, co-director of the Allergy Clinic at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
“We’ve been spared so far because of a cold spring, but now that it’s warming up pollen counts will rise. And because we’ll have more pollen in a brief period, allergies will be intense.”
Seasonal sniffles may only get worse. A report released last year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that global warming has led to an increase in ragweed pollen, an allergen that flourishes in August and September.
But New Yorkers have always faced a rough ride with allergies.
“City pollution can worsen symptoms by irritating your eyes and nose and making breathing uncomfortable,” warned Roger Emert, an allergist at the Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Right now, people allergic to tree pollens such as birch and maple are feeling the pain – itchy eyes, noses and throats, clogged sinuses and headaches.
Allergies occur when IgE, an antibody in the immune system, attaches to cells in the body called mast cells. When these cells come into contact with allergens such as pollen, pet hair, mold or dust, they trigger the release of the chemical histamine.
The immune system misinterprets the allergen as an infection and responds with a runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes in an effort to flush irritants out.
Doctors say a new treatment, Xolair, promises to make sniffles a thing of the past for severe allergy sufferers.
Now before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval, Xolair – administered as a weekly shot – prevents the body’s IgE from binding to the mast cell, stopping an allergic reaction in its tracks.
But doctors also caution that Xolair may be prohibitively expensive, costing about $100 for a single injection compared to $15 for today’s average allergy shot.
“This will probably be reserved for the severely allergic patient,” said Ira Finegold, chief of the Allergy Division at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.
Right now, the best defense against seasonal allergies are allergy shots to desensitize patients to pollen.
“Studies show shots are successful in about 90 percent of these patients and in about 70 percent of patients who suffer from allergies year round,” explained Dr. Scott Schroder, a pediatrician at Montefiore Medical Center.
Severe hay fever can also be treated with rush immunotherapy.
“While traditional shots require a build-up period of about six months to a year of weekly injections, rush immunotherapy compresses that time to a three-hour session,” said Schroder.
The best treatment for mild hay fever is prevention.
Doctors recommend staying indoors – with the air conditioning on as much as possible, especially in the morning – when pollen counts peak.
Finegold also advises showering at night, after coming in from outdoors, to rid hair of irritating pollen.
Dog owners should brush Fido off thoroughly after a walk to remove outdoor allergens.
Sheets and blankets should be washed weekly in hot water to reduce dust-mites and stray pollens.
Allergists also advise patients to avoid foods such as apples, carrots, celery, melon, pears and potatoes, which can trigger allergic reactions.
“Hay fever sufferers can eat these foods safely during the year and then suffer an allergy attack during high pollen season,” said Slankard.
Moderate hay fever sufferers can also find relief in the slew of over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines and steroid nose sprays.