Itchy eyes, sneezing and nasal congestion are nothing new for allergy sufferers, except when those symptoms show up in early February.
"Patients who usually start having trouble in March are having symptoms now," said Dr. Stanley Fineman, allergist with the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic. "We never see pollen this high in Atlanta at this time of the year."
Pollen from hardwood trees is likely the culprit as unseasonably warm weather has set the pollination process in motion.
Pollen counts over the past week have hovered in the moderate range, but are still high enough to trigger allergy symptoms and are certainly unprecedented for February. At 88, Wednesday's pollen count was right on the cusp of 90, which is considered high, Fineman said.
Channel 2 Action News meterologist David Chandley said above average temperatures are fueling the higher than normal pollen counts.
"December temperatures were on average about five degrees above normal and January was about six degrees above normal," he said.
The high temperatures have caused trees to bud and pop out earlier than normal. And when it comes to trees, Atlanta has you covered.
"People have to remember, Atlanta is the only major metropolitan area built in a forest -- the Chattahoochee Forest," Chandley said.
Even though this is the earliest in recent memory that local doctors have reported seeing allergy patients, pollen season in general is getting longer, Fineman said.
"Last year, we started seeing tree pollens in mid to late February, we had a brief warm spell then," he said.
Dr. Thomas Chacko, an allergist with Northside ENT & Allergy, had a packed schedule Monday. Usually he tells patients who suffer from spring allergies to begin taking allergy medications around Valentine's Day. This year, the unexpected warm weather put him behind schedule with his warnings.
"You have to be on medications for about a week or two to get the best benefit," Chacko said.
Patients with symptoms that do not respond to over-the-counter treatments such as nose sprays or drugs like Claritin, often benefit from allergy shots, Chacko said. In any case, it is best to see a board certified allergist who can accurately diagnose and treat symptoms.
The pollen count could drop if temperatures do the same, but congested allergy sufferers shouldn't hold their breath.
"I don't see any sub-freezing temperatures in the next 10 days," Chandley said Thursday.
Staying indoors and limiting exposure to pollen by keeping the windows of the car or house closed can help allergy sufferers cope with symptoms, but doctors realize that isn't always practical advice that patients are likely to follow... particularly with 60 degree temperatures in February.
About the Author
