If you thought allergy season was over, it isn't yet. In fact, it may never be. The warm, wet weather in many parts of the nation may be prolonging allergy season. That's right. Ragweed, an autumn allergy, hasn't disappeared, and mold is thriving.
The two questions on allergy sufferers' minds are: Can we get a break? And if so, when?
Allergy sufferers may feel relief when these warm areas of the country go through a week-long freeze. Unfortunately, unusually warm weather, caused by a powerful El Nino, is holding off this type of natural occurrence and causing weeds to flourish. It's the most powerful El Nino to hit the U.S. since 1997.
Dr. Stella Lee, an assistant professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said she's seeing a much higher patient count than normal. Many of them are complaining of mold.
"I'm seeing patients with allergic rhinitis that I typically wouldn't see," said Lee. "Around this time of year we would normally have had snow and our first frost. But with the unseasonably warm weather we're having a persistence of mold and a lot of patients are having problems with it."
To manage allergies, try to stay inside from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Consistently take allergy medicine and always keep your home and office clean of dust and dirt.
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