You know, every year at this time, we talk about pollen counts and every year they always sound high.

And it seems almost every year we’re saying this year is a bad allergy year.

But this year really is a horrible year for allergies. In fact, This is perhaps the worst allergy season in 40 to 50 years!

“This the first season, this is the first time I had an asthma attack in the spring. Usually it occurs for me in the fall,” says Robert Gabrielli, who has hay fever, or seasonal allergies.

But he’s talking about asthma!

Well, many people who might never have had an episode of asthma—even a mild one—are experiencing them this spring.

“This is definitely my worst year,” exclaims Robert.

“This is truly one of the worse years we’ve seen in 40 or 50 years. Not only are young people coming in but the elderly are coming in for the very first time complaining of allergy symptoms. It’s truly been an epidemic,” says Dr. Clifford Bassett, an allergist at Long Island College Hospital. “We have seen high pollen levels in many areas of the United States, west coast, south west, south east, mid west, pollen levels have been at records levels all spring.”

So what makes a bad year…or in this case, the worst year ever?

“We think the first thing is we had a very delayed mild winter with a lot of precipitation and rain. Take home message, a lot of pollen, and lot of pollen growth,” says Dr. Bassett.
Add to that, dr. Bassett says, global warming, and the resulting production of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide which stimulate pollen production.

“If you live in the ‘burbs, you live where there is a lot of green grass, you’ll know if cause you’ll feel it in your throat and perhaps you need to do something like wear a pollen mask before you mow the lawn,” instructs Dr. Bassett.

However, tree and grass pollen counts usually go down after May. But if you thought that, even this year, pretty soon the hay fever symptoms will soon subside, you might very well be wrong!

“We’re expecting more and more precipitation this summer and because of that we are going to see lots and lots of acceleration of plant growth, including ragweed pollen. One ragweed plant can produce one billion pollen grains so can cause a lot of suffering a lot of misery,” states Dr. Bassett.

Robert says, “For me my allergies are worse in the fall so we’ll see. Hopefully not.”

If you are experiencing new symptoms this year, like a cough, or wheezing, or itchy eyes, yes, it’s likely allergies, but don’t downplay the fact that the cough or wheezing is due to allergies. It is still considered asthma, and that needs to be addressed. Go to the doctor! The symptoms can be controlled!

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