High pollen levels create misery for allergy sufferers

A blanket of pollen has covered Lincoln County causing residents to sniff and sneeze all the way to the store to buy boxes and boxes of tissue. Without the chance of a drenching rain in sight, allergy sufferers will have to use all of the nose spray, face masks, and other "weapons" at their disposal to combat the pesky microscopic particles.

"This is one of the worst sections of the country for pollen - you don't get much worse than Augusta." - Matt Monroe, meteorologist for WJBF-TV News Channel 6 in Augusta.

Since pollen counts are largely determined by the weather, the CSRA has definitely fallen on hard times.

"Over the weekend, we had .16 of an inch of rain at the Augusta Regional Airport," according to Monroe. "It didn't help much - pollen levels are still really high - but it was better than nothing at all."

He went on to report that the area has a rainfall deficit of five inches for the year. "We need rain every two to four days to knock the pollen count down."

The pollen levels over the last few weeks have been extremely high.

According to the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic, any pollen count over 120 is considered extremely high. During the last week of March, the counts ranged from 3,905 to 5,937. Earlier this week, they dropped to 748 on Monday and 675 on Tuesday.

WJBF-TV ranks pollen levels on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most concentrated. As of press time on Tuesday, the television station was predicting pollen levels of 11.1 for Wednesday and 10.5 for Thursday.

The major pollens now present in the atmosphere are oak, poplar, maple, pine, sycamore, cottonwood, sweet gum, birch, and aspen.

When there is little rain in sight and trees blooming all over creation, surviving allergy season is a battle, even for those who do not normally suffer from pollen allergies. Homemade remedies and high-powered prescription drugs abound. Still, there is no cure, so grab the tissues and saline spray and absorb the following information and advice:

.. An allergy is a heightened sensitivity to a foreign substance, called an allergen, which causes the body's defense system to overreact when defending itself. The severity of an allergic reaction can vary from mild discomfort to life-threatening situations.

.. Rhinitis ("hay fever") is one of the most common illnesses in the United States, affecting more than 50 million people. The most common symptoms are sneezing; congestion; a runny nose; itching in the nose, the roof of the mouth, the throat, eyes, and ears; teary eyes; and dark circles under the eyes. This last symptom is sometimes referred to as an "allergy shiner."

.. Pollens are the tiny, egg-shaped, male cells of flowering plants. These microscopic, powdery granules are necessary for plant fertilization. The average pollen particle is less than the width of an average human hair.

.. The large, waxy pollens from plants with bright flowers, such as roses, usually do not trigger allergies. The pollens that trigger allergy symptoms are those small, light, dry pollens produced by many trees, grasses, and low-growing weeds - pollens that are well-suited for dissemination by wind currents.

.. Grasses, weeds, and trees tend to pollinate during the early morning hours.

.. Spring pollens may be most bothersome at mid-day or mid-afternoon as the wind picks up the pollen particles and distributes them throughout the air.

.. A prolonged rain will effectively wash the pollen out of the air. However, a brief downpour such as a thunderstorm may, in fact, cause particles that had settled to the ground to once again become airborne.

.. Do keep windows closed at night to prevent pollens or molds from drifting into your home. Instead, if needed, use air conditioning, which cleans, cools, and dries the air.

.. Do keep your car windows and sun roofs closed when traveling.

.. Do not hang sheets or clothing out to dry. Significant amounts of pollen can be brought into the home on air-dried linens and clothes.

.. Do not take more medicine than recommended in an attempt to lessen allergy symptoms.

.. People with allergies should avoid mowing the lawn. If you cannot avoid yard work, wear a pollen mask.

.. Take a shower after playing or working outside.

.. Pets can bring pollen into the home. If your pet goes in and out, limit the pet's access to the home and bathe the pet frequently. Do not let pets sit on the furniture.

.. Don't forget to change your air filters once each month. Also, make sure to wash electrostatic filters.

.. Don't use the attic fan. The fan sucks pollen into the house.

(Editor's note: The information appearing above was reprinted from websites hosted by the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic; the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology; MedicineNet; Pollen.com; and FitSugar.)