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If you’ve recently suffered from sniffles, despite never having an allergy, you’re not alone.
A growing number of Americans say they are now being hit by seasonal allergies for the first time, doctors say.
Dr. Stanley Fineman, a doctor in Georgia, said the new cases were caused by a “pollen storm,” meaning there is more pollen in the air than ever before.
Doctors in New York and California added that they’ve had many more patients experience first-time allergies in the past five years, despite never having had them before.
The map above shows pollen counts across most of the US on April 25, based on data submitted by machines in states — those marked with the blue labels. The scores for each state are calculated by IQVIA, the North Carolina-based company behind allergy warning, and are based on how much pollen a person is likely to be exposed to over the next three days
The image above shows the six tips experts have recommended to protect yourself from allergies this spring. The season starts earlier than usual
Dr. Fineman, who is also an allergist with Atlanta Allergy and Asthma and a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said the higher pollen counts caused people’s immune systems to become “overworked.”
He told NBC news“Pollen counts, especially this season, have been much, much higher than in the past.”
There are also signs that more patients are experiencing allergies for the first time.
Dr Clifford Bassett, an allergist based in New York City, told the publication: ‘What I see is people coming in for the first time, especially in the last five, seven years or so.
“They will always say, ‘I don’t understand how this is happening to me.'”
And dr. Michele Pham, an allergist at the University of California, San Francisco, said he’s seen the trend, too.
He added: ‘Patients came to us saying, ‘This hasn’t been a problem in the past.’
“Now they’re getting symptoms, or their allergy symptoms have worsened significantly.”
Google Trends data also indicates that more people are suffering from allergies, with search interest for “pollen” in the United States already higher this year than at any other time last year.
Estimates suggest that as many as 67 million Americans are allergic to pollen, including 14 million children.
About 25 million people also have asthma, which can be triggered or made worse by inhaling pollen.
The pollen season normally starts around late February and early March when the first trees begin to release their pollen.
But this is now starting to creep forward, with southern states seeing spring come up to three weeks early this year, a record for the area.
This is being stimulated by climate change which is causing higher temperatures.
The leading theory behind why more Americans are experiencing allergies is that there is more pollen in the atmosphere than ever before.
Pollen levels are 20 percent higher than they were three decades ago, according to one Utah University study from 2021.
Scientists say this may be caused by higher levels of CO2, releasing more pollen.
Not only are there higher pollen levels that are more noticeable, but there is also evidence that the pollen season lasts longer, which may also increase the risk of developing allergies.
Data from National Pollen Count Centers shows that states in the Northwest and Northeast currently have the highest pollen levels in their atmospheres.
This includes areas like Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, and Idaho.
But this is also the case in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and areas in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Warning signs of a seasonal allergy include nasal congestion or coughing, doctors said, although this could also be confused with Covid.
Itching in a part of the body such as the eyes, throat and nose is another telltale sign. This does not happen when someone has a cold.
Ways to prevent seasonal allergies include over-the-counter medications that calm symptoms.
But other strategies such as closing the windows, washing clothes regularly and avoiding going outside when it is dry and windy can also help.