The majority of allergy sufferers in Georgia will have to endure at least another month of scratchy eyes, noses and throats following record-high tree pollen counts over the weekend.
“A lot of April we expect to see high pollen counts,” said Meera Patrawala, an allergist with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma. The practice had a busier patient load Monday after recording the city’s highest pollen counts in 35 years this weekend, Patrawala said between patients at the Alpharetta office.
“We had a lot of calls first thing in the morning that (patients) wanted to be seen.” The vast majority of those calls were for uncontrolled symptoms, she said. “We anticipate that will continue for the rest of the week.”
Credit: Atlanta Allergy & Asthma
Credit: Atlanta Allergy & Asthma
She believes the higher patient load Monday resulted from people spending more time outside over the weekend when pollen counts were at the record high.
Saturday’s pollen count of 14,801 was almost double the highest count recorded last year, 8,740, on April 2, 2024. The pollen count on Monday of 6,024 was less than half of Saturday’s record high, but still considered extremely high for tree pollen, according to the metro Atlanta practice that treats patients across the region and tracks daily pollen counts. It dropped to 4,239 Tuesday after Monday’s rains.
The daily pollen count represents the number of pollen grains in a cubic meter of air over the previous 24-hours, Atlanta Allergy & Asthma reported. Tree pollen is considered extremely high when it’s over 1,500, according to the National Allergy Bureau.
Last week, there were also several days of extremely high tree pollen levels keeping doctors and car washes busy.
The top contributors to tree pollen are oak, pine, mulberry, sycamore and willow, the Atlanta allergy practice reports. Tree pollens give way to grass pollens in late May and through the summer months while allergies from weeds arrive in the fall, Patrawala said. Compared to grass and weeds, though, tree pollens tend to produce the strongest allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny or stuffy nose and congestion.
“A lot has to do with warmer temperatures,” Patrawala said, explaining that plants are blooming and producing pollen earlier in the year than in the past. “We are going to see longer seasons and as a result, higher pollen counts.”
Dr. Kathleen May also sees the record high pollen counts as a sign of future allergy trends.
“We are seeing earlier and higher peaks in the pollen season than previous years,” said May, division chief of allergy, immunology and pediatric rheumatology at Wellstar MCG Health in Augusta.
“The warmer climate and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere serve as fuel for plant growth, with both larger plants and more pollen per plant,” May said. “Now with plants blooming earlier, the pollen seasons are probably going to continue to be more intense. … We only have six to seven weeks we don’t see pollen,” namely in December and January.
Credit: Wellstar MCG Health
Credit: Wellstar MCG Health
Tree pollen season begins in late January, but the most noticeable sign is in mid-March, when pollen from pine trees coats the surface of streets, vehicles and lawn furniture. May said pine pollen is heavier and less likely to get into the lungs as much as other lighter pollen particles you cannot see floating in the atmosphere such as from elms, maples, oaks and hickory.
Pine pollen can still irritate the nose and eyes, though, she adds. “I know no one wants to wear a mask after COVID, but a good-fitting mask can reduce pollen if you are sensitive to it.”
The worst of the pine pollen should dissipate in another week to 10 days, she said. “We will continue to see low levels through May and June.”
Is it allergies or a cold?
The hallmark of the allergy season is its symptoms of itchy nose, throat and eyes, May said. It also might linger six to eight weeks compared to a virus that runs its course in a week or two. “If it never gets worse, it’s probably more likely a nasal allergy.”
The cold, flu and virus season generally runs through the fall and winter months so it overlaps with weed pollen and mold in the fall and tree pollen season in late January, she said.
Patients whose allergies do not ease with over-the-counter medicines should consult a doctor for a prescription. “I probably see more than moderate to severe patients. … when it affects their overall quality of life and is not just a nuisance.” An allergist might prescribe stronger medicine or allergy injections, May said.
Credit: Piedmont Healthcare
Credit: Piedmont Healthcare
Belinda Brown-Saddler, a family medicine doctor with Piedmont Physicians Concierge Atlanta, said the majority of patients she has seen in the past month for upper respiratory conditions have been allergy sufferers. From personal experience, she started taking allergy medicines in February: an oral antihistamine, eye drops and a nasal spray. “I’ve had allergies most of my life. My experience has been to get a jump-start on it before symptoms start.”
Otherwise, it takes a few days for medicines to kick in, Brown-Saddler said.
For patients with more severe allergies, she might prescribe a steroid for quicker relief or refer them to an allergist. She recommends sufferers schedule an allergy test to pinpoint the exact cause of their allergies and better treat them.
Roni Robbins has been a journalist for 37 years. This is her second stint as a freelance reporter for the AJC. She also freelances for Medscape, where she was an editor. Her writing has appeared in WebMD, HuffPost, Forbes, NY Daily News, BioPharma Dive, MNN, Adweek, Healthline and others. She’s also the author of the award-winning “Hands of Gold: One Man’s Quest to Find the Silver Lining in Misfortune.”
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