If you haven’t been able to shake off the spring sniffles, there’s probably a reason why.
New analysis indicates that seasonal allergy season lengthened by up to 15 days on average between 1970 and 2021 across the United States, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit climate news organization — affecting the roughly one-quarter of Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies.
A prolonged allergy season is likely a result of climate change, said Dr. Ashleigh Halderman, an ear, nose and throat specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
When it comes to climate change, Halderman said there are two major components contributing to a longer allergy season: air pollutants and extreme weather.
Specifically, higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air, as a result of vehicle emissions, cause plants to photosynthesize more efficiently and reproduce more.
“As an effect, they actually produce more pollen, as a response to that elevated level of carbon dioxide,” Halderman said, adding that air pollutants also have a negative effect on the mucous membrane, or the inner lining of the nose.
“Air pollutants also make our airways kind of leakier … and so pollen is able to get in through our mucous membranes and then interact with our immune system, which is at the very root of allergy and allergic reaction,” she said.
Therefore, any large city with a high concentration of vehicles can be linked to an increased frequency of allergies. While North Texas isn’t necessarily more susceptible in this category, extreme weather conditions may make the area more prone to bouts of pollen.
Flooding and droughts, both common in Dallas-Fort Worth, can trigger the release of more pollen into the air, Halderman explained. Thunderstorms, accompanied by heavy rainfall, in particular can also exacerbate allergy symptoms.
“Extreme weather changes are going to really impact how well plants grow and what their growth season ends up being,” she said.
For this reason, it’s also possible for summer allergies to worsen this year, with the Dallas area already experiencing high grass pollen counts — the main driver behind summer sneezing. Warmer weather and increased humidity allow for plants, such as allergy-including grass, to explode in population, Halderman said.
Additionally, while there is limited research available on fall and winter allergies, in theory, the same environmental factors would apply, Halderman said. Warmer temperatures and carbon dioxide would also prompt ragweed, which is responsible for fall allergies, to grow faster and exhibit enhanced photosynthesis.
“Some weeds grow better in extreme weather changes,” she said. “And so if you’re dealing with droughts, or you’re dealing with floods, that’s going to impact weed growth.”
How to treat allergies:
For seasonal allergy sufferers, Halderman recommends staying ahead of the curve — before symptoms become severe.
“Typically, I advise patients to kind of get on that before your bad allergy season starts, so that you kind of maintain a better baseline throughout the whole allergy season,” she said.
Over-the-counter saline spray remains a reliable option for most of her patients, which helps wash out irritants in the nose and thins out mucus.
In addition to saline sprays and taking antihistamines, Halderman also advises rinsing off after outdoors activities and wearing a mask outside, especially if you’re allergic to grass.
