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SALT LAKE CITY — Spring sunshine would be warmly welcomed with the cold temperatures Utah has witnessed in the last few weeks. But allergy sufferers across the state are likely more excited for the upcoming rain storms and a slight increase in humidity.
It is like having a built-in humidifier, according to Salt Lake resident Krissy Giacoletto. She and her family really feel it when wind kicks up and starts spreading the pollen around, which is exactly what happened this weekend.
"Something in the air is not working with my nose," Giacoletto said, adding that she has been toting a package of tissues everywhere she goes lately.
The worst time a year for most people is right before a storm. The wind stirs up the pollen.
–Dr. Duane Harris
Pollen counts are way up — especially that of cedar, maple, oak, juniper, sycamore and elm trees, said Dr. Duane Harris, an allergist at Intermountain Allergy and Asthma, which has five offices in northern Utah and a traveling clinic in St. George. Harris' Draper office houses the only certified pollen counting station in the state, recording totals on fairly low-tech equipment five days each week.
Two short, plastic rods that are coated with a special lubricant rotate outdoors for one minute every 10 minutes throughout the day, picking up an average representation of what's floating in the air out there.
The office has found that mulberry bushes are also currently dotting the air with quite a bit of pollen.
"The worst time a year for most people is right before a storm," Harris said. "The wind stirs up the pollen."
While it is annoying for about 10 to 15 percent of the population, it is just nature running its course, specifically for the wind-pollinated trees, shrubs and plants that depend on it.
"Anywhere you live in the valley, you'd be exposed to that," Harris said.
But his office experienced an increased volume of calls on Monday, as many patients, he said, suffered through the weekend and are now seeking relief.
Harris said nasal plugging is the No. 1 complaint from most patients, but people often confuse allergies for a head cold early in the season, as they exhibit similar symptoms with both. Itchy, watery eyes differentiate the two as well as symptoms that last for weeks at a time, which usually means allergies are the culprit.
"So far this year, from my perspective, it's been a little bit of a subdued season because of the cold, wet weather," he said. Typically, tree pollen makes the rounds from mid-February to late May or early June. Grass season, which is still to come, is usually the worst of all.
The pollen count, provided to researchers by Harris' office, can usually give people a good idea what they're allergic to and doctors can go from there to diagnose and treat the allergies. Those affected can start with over-the-counter medications and if that doesn't work, Harris recommends seeing a doctor for a prescription antihistamine or other options, such as nasal steroids and/or allergy shots, which provide long-term relief for many.
Allergy tests, which only irritate the top layer of the skin, are relatively painless and can be done anytime during the year, and not just when symptoms exist, Harris said. In fact, he said there's a shorter wait time for an appointment during the wintertime.
Email:wleonard@ksl.com
