City’s First Allergy Alert for the Year Issued

By Jim Killackey, The Oklahoman

Apr. 24–Oklahoma City physicians issued the year’s first allergy alert today as high pollen counts from oak, willow and mulberry trees caused symptoms including stuffy noses, sneezing, sore throats, fatigue and insomnia.

The alert, issued by the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic, surprised clinic allergist Dr. Warren V. Filley.

“With the storm damage to our trees this winter, the spring so far has been average in pollen counts. We’ve been having high, but not very high, days. We thought heavy pollen producers of cedar, elm, and oak trees were either finished or winding down,” he said.

But conditions apparently changed this week, with pollen counts reaching 1,564 pollen grains per cubic meter of air.

A “very high” range of seasonal allergens is reached at 1,500 pollen grains per cubic meter of air. That’s when an allergy alert is issued, Filley said.

About 500,000 Oklahomans have seasonal allergies, usually in the spring and fall.

“If you are allergic and not controlled with medicine or allergy shots, this could be a bad season for you,” said Filley.

“We have seen our usual upturn of seasonally sick patients. With the current weather conditions of wind and some rain, we can expect pollen, mold and dust in the air off and on all spring and summer,” he said.

Rain will wash down many pollen grains for a day or two, but they will come back, especially with Oklahoma winds, Filley said.

Antihistamines and decongestants help treat allergy symptoms, and patients often receive steroid shots, Filley said.

Edmond family physician Dr. Tim Siler said his clinic is treating more patients with spring allergy problems. He advises them to keep taking their medications for a sustained time period.

Allergy sufferers are urged to shower more frequently. Children and women with long hair have a propensity to bring pollen inside the home. People should wash their hair at night to get rid of tree pollen before going to bed, according to the Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

Gardening outside during times of high pollen counts also puts patients at risk and is discouraged.

—–

To see more of The Oklahoman, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsok.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Oklahoman

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.