It’s not your imagination. The allergy season is longer and more intense nowadays (2024)

The Boston Globe

And this pollen-heavy spring is especially difficult for those with symptoms.

By Daniel Kool, The Boston Globe

May 17, 2023

This may be small consolation to people whose allergies are giving them fits this spring, but it’s not just in your head, specialists say. It really is that bad right now.

Pollen is surging across Massachusetts, and spring’s usual villains — itchy eyes, runny noses, shortness of breath — are among the worst they’ve ever been, according to area allergists, driven by an allergy season that increasingly arrives earlier and stronger.

“This year and last year have been significantly worse,” said Dr. Trisha Ray, attending physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s division of allergy and inflammation. “It’s been a major issue for patients.”

High pollen counts typically mean increased risks of allergy symptoms, although individuals’ sensitivities vary, said Ray, who noted that pollen allergies have historically been especially severe in New England.

The air has been heavy with pollen in recent days, coating surfaces with a yellow dust. This week, the pollen count in Boston remains above average, with 4,321 grains of pollen per cubic meter of air recorded by the Weather Channel Tuesday morning. Tree pollen counts above 1,500 are considered “very high” according to the National Allergy Bureau, an independent organization that charts and analyzes pollen and other allergens.

What makes this year so bad?

There are more allergens in the air than there were two decades ago and the regular summer allergy season is more than two weeks longer than it used to be, fueled largely by higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to Aleena Banerji, clinical director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s allergy and clinical immunology unit.

She also said that the number of people wearing masks, which can help block pollen and other allergens, has declined sharply.

“There’s several reasons to explain it,” Banerji said. “A big part of it’s climate change, and also it’s just the fact that maybe some of us were wearing masks and decreasing exposure and now none of us are.”

Climate change is making pollen season longer and more intense, according to a March study, which found that allergy season was 15 days longer, on average, than in 1970. Boston saw a 13-day increase in that span.

Higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the air both cause plants to grow larger, increasing the amount of pollen they release.

Are there better or worse times for pollen exposure?

Meteorologist Dave Epstein, who writes for The Boston Globe, said trees release pollen in the early morning and pollen counts tend to peak around midday before decreasing overnight. But as the pollen-filled air cools overnight, it falls to the ground, bringing dense concentrations of the powdery stuff with it.

“Closing windows without air filtration has its own issues. Pick your preference,” he posted on Twitter. “If you’re bothered by pollen, nuance probably doesn’t matter.”

In an e-mail, Epstein added that rain temporarily clears pollen from the air, but this May has been extremely dry after an unusually hot and dry start to the season.

“We know that the rain certainly washes away the pollen, and so sometimes we’ll tell individuals to go for a run or do their exercise after it rains,” Banerji said.

But increased humidity can also worsen allergies, as pollen becomes damp and heavy, creating the “tennis-ball fuzz” that coats cars and sidewalks, Ray said.

How can I deal with my allergies?

Ray said those with severe symptoms should try to limit time outdoors, run air conditioning or filters if possible, and take over-the-counter medication, especially nasal sprays, which she said provide the most consistent relief.

She said daily metrics, including pollen counts and allergy indexes, are useful when predicting the severity of one’s allergies.

Ray recommends allergy shots for those with severe symptoms. Shots are more effective than other treatments, she said, but require repeated injections over several months — a time commitment not everyone can make.

Banerji said checking daily figures tends to be less helpful than considering longer-term trends in pollen spread and one’s own symptoms.

“It’s not just about today, it’s about your exposure over the last few days or the last several weeks,” Benarji said. “If you want to go on a run and it’s humid, the pollen counts are high, then you do have to remember that. But at the same time, it’s not just about that hour. It’s about yesterday and the day before as well.”

She emphasized establishing a baseline — and starting allergy medication as early as St. Patrick’s Day — as the best way to mitigate symptoms.

How long do I need to hold out?

Ray said the next couple of weeks are “going to be really, really rough,” for those with allergies.

She said tree pollen season will likely continue into June, when grass pollen kicks up and humidity increases, but residents may get some respite in July and early August.

“But then,” she said, “we run into ragweed season.”