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July 3, 2010

Ah-choo! — Louisville area ranks No. 2 in nation for spring allergies

By TARA HETTINGER Tara.Hettinger@newsandtribune.com

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Itchy, watery eyes. Sneezing. Sinus pressure.

If you’re feeling the pain of seasonal allergies, you’re not alone. Louisville was recently ranked number 2 in the nation for the worst allergy capitals, being beat by only Knoxville, Tenn., according to a report of the top 100 worst cities by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

“Living here is like a pressure cooker,” said Jason Guin, board certified allergist with Family Allergy and Asthma, adding that this area is home to many of the common allergy culprits, such as ragweed and various trees and grasses. “If you have any allergic tendencies, you’re going to see them here.”

And if it feels like it’s getting worse, that may not be a figment of your imagination.

“It gets worse with time,” Guin said. “We build our allergies like we build our immunity. It gets worse with every exposure. Instead of building a good immunity, you’re triggering a bad response of your immunity system. Every spring is like a booster shot to your allergies. Each year it gets worse.”

And the allergens are also increasing.

“Without a doubt, for the past 25 years, pollen has been increasing,” said Mike Tringale, vice president for external affairs for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “Pollen from trees, grass and weeds are significantly increasing. Even the experts aren’t entirely sure why, but there are some hypotheses, global warming being one of them.”

Tringale said hotter climates stretches out the spring and fall allergy seasons, which can create allergies in those who otherwise handled the shorter seasons. He said pollution creates carbon dioxide, which pushes plants to produce more oxygen and more pollen.

 

HOW TO COPE

“It can really affect their quality of life, so it’s important to get it under control,” said Tringale.

Tringale said allergies causes people to lose sleep, discomfort and more.

He said the first step in coping is to learn what triggers your allergies by getting tested.

“You need to learn what to avoid,” he said.

Tingale said that would help people know which pollen levels to monitor, when to avoid outdoors and which plants to keep out of their yard.

Next, he said make sure you have an appointment for allergy shots or have medications, prescription or over-the-counter, ready to go.

Finally, Tringale said don’t jump to move.

“It’s not a reason to move, but if you are moving, [this top 100 list is] a way to find a community that’s more accommodating,” he said.

Guin pointed out that those with allergies will be likely to develop allergies to new surroundings if they moved.

“You can move to Antarctica, but you’ll probably become allergic to penguins,” he said with a laugh, adding that it would be possible, since many people have allergies to animal dander.

More than your surroundings, Guin said another common cause of allergies traces back to one thing — heredity.

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