It's spring! Achoo!

The Virginian-Pilot
© April 14, 2006
Last updated: 5:12 PM

Your eyes feel like sandpaper. Your chest feels squeezed with a rope. And your nose? It's so stuffed, you're sleeping with your mouth open.

For 40 million people, spring means more than flowers and warm weather. Spring means the beginning of allergy season -- itchy, watery eyes, constant sneezing, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.

It doesn't matter where you live, how many trees are near you, or whether there is grass in front of your apartment building -- allergies will get you. So forget about moving to Las Vegas or Albuquerque, N.M. -- both are among the 30 spring allergy capitals for 2005, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

"You may move but be just as affected by the tree pollen in the new place," says Mike Tringale, spokesman for the group. "Many of the trees that never used to be in the Midwest are there now. The best advice is to get a full diagnosis, find out what you are allergic to and prepare for the season that's worst for you."

More and more people are suffering from allergies, says Tringale. While the verdict is still out on what is causing the increase, some experts suggest it is linked to the number of pollen-producing trees and grasses being planted in populated areas.

Sure, there's lots of over-the-counter medications, such as Sudafed and Claritin. But serious allergy sufferers need to have a plan before the season that causes them the most problems hits, says Tringale.

Spring means tree pollination. During the summer, you can probably blame your sneezing on the grass. In the fall, it's ragweed. And don't forget about the indoor allergens, such as dust mites and mold, that never go away, no matter how much bleach and scrubbing you do.

"The trick is to know what you're allergic to and then talk to your doctor about how do I control the symptoms," says Tringale. "'I'll avoid this allergen as much as I can, but what can I do to treat these symptoms before these symptoms happen?'"

So what's causing your allergies? Here are five triggers:

TREES: Living downtown won't protect you from trees that produces pollen. Nor will cutting down that oak tree in your back yard. Regardless of whether there are trees in your neighborhood, you can still come down with a bad case of the achoos, especially this time of year when trees are number one for producing pollen.

"The pollen from trees is light enough when the wind blows it can travel long distances," says Dr. Mary Morris, with Allergy Associates of La Crosse in Wisconsin. "Even if you don't have trees in your neighborhood, if it's windy enough, it will get caught in the wind and get to your area."

The top pollen producers? Depends on where you live, but the allergists say elm, oak, ash, cedar and birch.

GRASS: You may want to think twice before playing in the yard. While tree pollen is the biggest nuisance right now, in a few weeks, the grass will begin to pollinate.

The culprits? Timothy grass, Kentucky bluegrass, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass. As with the pollen-producing trees, wind can carry grass pollen from several miles away. Grass pollen usually runs from June to August. While no one wants to be cooped up inside all summer, Tringale recommends limiting outdoor activities. "Plan indoor activities," he says. "Don't play sports on grassy fields. Don't go on a picnic. The idea is to minimize your exposure."

RAGWEED: You probably picked these for your mother when you were a kid. She smiled and said thank you. She may have even put them in water. These yellow flowering weeds may look pretty on the kitchen table, but they cause allergic rhinitis, or "hay fever." Ragweed season begins Aug. 15 and runs through October. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, each plant produces one billion pollen grains per average season, and grains can travel up to 400 miles.

Killing ragweed plants doesn't help, says Dr. Harold Nelson, with the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver. He says years ago, New York City tried to kill ragweed plants in vacant lots. "These guys in trucks with spray tanks, they would come to a vacant lot, jump out and spray the ragweed," he says. "They did it for five years. That had absolutely no impact on the ragweed counts. The reason was it was all blowing in from New Jersey."

DUST MITES: Don't think because your house, apartment, whatever, is so immaculate, you don't have dust mites. These microscopic creatures can survive in the cleanest environment, says Stanley Fineman, with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic. Dust mites are the number one indoor allergen, causing wheezing and itchy eyes in at least 10 percent of the general population all year round, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
The mites are invisible to the naked eye but lurk in mattresses, pillows, carpets and clothes, multiplying easily. While there is no way to completely eliminate these pests, Fineman recommends enclosing your mattress in a dust-proof cover, vacuuming and cleaning the carpet, washing bedding in hot water, and reducing the amount of dust collecting items in the bedrooms, such as old pictures, trophies and stuffed animals.

ASIAN LADY BEETLE: The good news is that these beetles are helpful, eating other insects, protecting our plants. The bad news is these beetles are causing more and more allergic reactions, says Morris, who has a number of patients with the allergy.

She says the Asian lady beetle became an allergic nuisance five or six years ago. The little bugs are in almost all parts of the country, especially in agricultural areas. "They come in around windows and any little crack, and go inside the wall during the winter, hibernating in there," she says. "Now that the weather is getting warmer, they are coming out of the walls."

Experts warn against smashing the beetles because it can leave a stain. Vacuuming is probably best. Outside, a good pesticide should do the trick. Look at it this way -- at least you can see these creatures.
Megan Scott is an asap reporter.
                                 
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