A lack of spring rainfall across the Upper Cumberland is driving a persistent tree pollen season.
Dr. Erin Rohman is a board-certified allergist. Rohman said the region is currently experiencing consecutive days of high tree pollen because there have not been enough rain showers to dampen the airborne allergens.
“I saw a new patient to my clinic who is 80 years old and came in because over the past couple of years, he’s just now started to experience allergy season in life,” Rohman said. “And that can be very confusing for patients who didn’t maybe grow up as an allergy sufferer or maybe in their younger adulthood they didn’t seem to have any problem.”
Rohman said repeated exposure to allergens over a longer life expectancy is a major factor in developing new symptoms. Older adults are spending more time outside doing yard work than previous generations, leading to first-time allergy complaints in middle to later adulthood.
“But when they really come into me, it’s more for the treatment of those more severe symptoms that affect quality of life,” Rohman said. “And sometimes those are not recognized as being attributed to allergies.”
Rohman said patients often mistake severe reactions like fatigue, poor sleep, and headaches for other medical conditions instead of recognizing them as allergies. Simple adjustments like keeping house and vehicle windows closed can help reduce daily exposure to the pollen.
“I do caution patients, however, because over-the-counter medicines over time can have side effects and they can also interfere with other medicines that you’re taking and perhaps affect other medical problems that you have,” Rohman said. “So if a basic over-the-counter antihistamine allergy tablet is not doing the job, it’s probably time to get in with your provider and talk about a more detailed approach.”
Rohman said familial inheritance plays a significant role in allergies, resulting in multiple generations of families dealing with the same environmental sensitivities. Taking allergy medication in the days leading up to outdoor activities like mowing provides better protection than simply wearing a mask while working.
“So the things that our parents and grandparents had to get by with, we don’t have to suffer necessarily,” Rohman said. “There are options for more specialized treatment.”
Patients experiencing side effects from basic antihistamines can schedule an appointment with an allergist to undergo skin testing and develop a thorough treatment plan.