There have been some predictions that this season would be bad, said Dr. Sandra A. McMahan, an allergist with Scott and White, but the information wasn’t based on any science.
“I’ve seen a lot of tall ragweed on the edge of fields and I don’t remember ever seeing it that tall … it was almost like a fence,” she said. “It’s certainly possible that all the rain will have increased the problem.”
Dr. McMahan said she had seen some 10- and 12-foot tall ragweed plants that were already flowering and speculated the plants might have begun to release pollen.
Some other weeds that crop up around now, according to Dr. McMahan, are careless weed and Russian thistle.
“This is the time of year when we might begin to have some early fall weed pollens,” she said. “We sometimes see grasses come back again at the end of the summer.”
The recommendation for allergy sufferers this time of year is to stay inside whenever possible, Dr. McMahan said.
Pollen counts are usually higher early in the day, so early morning walks should be avoided for those who have pollen allergies, she said.
Over-the-counter antihistamines are considered the best medication for dealing with allergy symptoms - runny and stuffy nose, itchy eyes and sneezing.
If the antihistamine is not effective, the person should consider visiting a physician and getting a steroid nasal spray, Dr. Mahan said.
“There’s now a generic steroid spray so it’s not so expensive,” she said.
The pollen counts are already significant and expected to continue to rise unless the area gets some rain to wash the pollen out of the air, said Dr. William Long, allergist at King’s Daughters Clinic.
The ragweed pollen usually begins to show up in the last week of August with symptoms worsening through the first two weeks of September, he said.
“People will put up with it for a week or two and then flood gates open up in late September with people coming into the clinic because they just can’t stand it anymore,” Long said.
If the over-the-counter remedies and the steroid nasal sprays don’t offer any relief, it’s time to consider allergy shots, he said.
“The ragweed will stop pollinating around Halloween,” Long said. “We usually get November off.”
Problems will begin again in early January when the mountain cedar begins to pollinate, he said.
jgibbs@temple-telegram.com
