Warmer spring can mean worse allergy symptoms

TORONTO – For many Canadians, warmer spring weather is good news. But for around 10 million Canadians living with seasonal allergies, the sudden onset of warmer temperatures could be dreadful.

“The tree pollen season is in full swing and the levels of some of the pollens are quite high already,” says University of Toronto clinician Dr. Maria Triassi Asper. “It’s been a little bit slow to start so far, but definitely it has started off with a bang now.”

The unusually high levels of pollen are partly caused by the unexpected high temperatures that followed what seemed like a never-ending winter. According to Tracy Pitt, an allergist and immunologist, the prolonged cold weather did not do much to stop pollen from forming.

“It’s probably going to be a really bad season this year,” she says. “Pollens are definitely out there.”

Tree pollen sufferers are not the only ones who are expected to be affected by warm weather. Grass pollen season is next. Then when the humidity rolls in around June and July, mould becomes a concern. Towards August and September, ragweed is the most common culprit of allergic reactions.

“We think the summer is going to be warmer than normal,” says David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada. “Not every day, not every weekend, but certainly we think the flavour of this particular summer is going to be like last summer or the summer before, which was warmer than normal.”

In addition to temperature, precipitation can affect the likelihood of allergic reactions.

When it rains, pollen counts tend to be lower. At times where there is little rain, pollen can accumulate.

According to Phillips, projections for this year could be bad news for allergy sufferers: “We think that it will be normal to dryer-than-normal issues across the country in regards to precipitation.”

Although Phillips says that precipitation is harder to predict than temperature, Dr. Triassi Asper recommends allergy sufferers to ensure that they are receiving appropriate treatment.

“Things like antihistamines or over-the-counter allergy medicines, or for more severe symptoms, then prescription medications, prescription nose sprays and eye drops,” said Asper. “In the most severe cases, then allergy injections or immunotherapy.”