By Paige Orr, Fox23 News
TULSA, Okla. — For the third consecutive day, Oklahoma is under a Very High Allergy Alert. Experts say pollen counts are now the highest reported anywhere in the United States, more than ten times higher than a week ago.
Cedar and elm pollen are the primary culprits, with doctors warning that a combination of dry weather and powerful Oklahoma winds is making this season especially brutal.
Cedar pollen grains are so small that a single tree can produce billions of them in a season and those grains can travel hundreds of miles on the wind, meaning you don’t even have to live near a cedar tree to feel the effects.
“With high winds, you can expect a lot of the pollen to get kicked up,” said Dr. Wayman Lam, an allergy immunologist at Saint Francis. “It disperses, pollen from not even in your neighborhood might come to your area, and it breaks down smaller, so it’s easier to get past your nasal filters.”
One thing doctors want people to know is that cedar fever symptoms can look a lot like a cold or the flu, which means many people may be treating the wrong thing entirely.
“It kind of coincides with flu and cold season,” said Dr. Matthew Farley of the Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic. “People may have a lot of similar symptoms, runny nose, sinus pressure, nasal congestion and it gets chalked up to flu or cold when it really, in fact, may be bad cedar trees.”
Farley said cedar pollen levels this high are not entirely unusual for this time of year, but the season is getting longer.
As temperatures warm earlier each year, tree pollen begins pollinating sooner and the season extends further into spring.
“As years go by, we’re expecting longer and longer seasons of more pollen,” said Lam. “It’s becoming, unfortunately normal and worsening.”
Both doctors strongly recommend that allergy sufferers start taking medication before symptoms get out of hand, not after.
“If you know that you’re allergic to something and it’s pretty characteristic that a certain time of year you’re going to have problems, start treatment ahead of time, get ahead of it. Typically, if you wait till the allergies are bad, then you’re playing catch up and it can be more difficult to get it under control,” said Farley.
With wildfires burning across parts of Oklahoma, doctors say the situation is even more serious for those with asthma. Smoke from those fires can trigger airway flare-ups and has been linked to increased emergency room visits.
“The smoke can worsen asthma symptoms. These wildfires are pretty serious,” said Lam.
If over-the-counter medications are no longer keeping symptoms in check, both doctors say it’s time to see a specialist. Allergy shots and other immunotherapy treatments can desensitize patients over time, reducing the severity of reactions in future seasons.
“If it’s impacting your day-to-day quality of life to the point where you’re struggling, thinking about it all the time, it would be helpful to come see an allergist,” said Farley. “We could talk about other treatment options, including things like allergy shots, which could in turn prevent some future flare-ups in years to come.”
Doctors expect cedar pollen levels to begin declining by the end of February, but warn that spring tree pollen season is not far behind.
Here is what doctors recommend to reduce allergy and asthma symptoms during high pollen season:
- Limit outdoor activities on days with high pollen counts
- Keep windows closed at home and in your car to keep pollen out
- Do not wear outdoor clothing inside, pollen clings to fabric
- Shower after coming indoors so pollen in your hair does not bother you overnight
- Leave shoes at the door to avoid tracking pollen inside
- Wash your hands frequently, especially after touching pets that have been outside
- Wear a dust mask when doing outdoor tasks like yard work or raking
- Use HEPA air filters inside your home, they remove at least 99 percent of pollen, dust and dander
- Change furnace and air conditioner filters regularly; doctors recommend a minimum MPR rating of 1,000, with 1,500 preferred
- If wildfires are burning nearby, treat smoke exposure the same as pollen, keep windows shut and limit time outdoors
Doctors recommend consulting with a board-certified allergist if over-the-counter medications are no longer managing your symptoms effectively.
