If you are a hay fever sufferer, get ready to start sneezing and wheezing.

Ragweed pollen levels are starting to climb, up into double digits (12) for the first time on Monday. A pollen level of below 7 is usually low enough that most people won't be affected.

“The plants are robust. They are full of pods loaded with pollen, which will release millions and millions of grains over the next two to three weeks,” said Dr. Leonard Bielory, a professor at the Rutgers University Center of Environmental Prediction, and director of allergy immunology at the STARx Allergy and Asthma Center.

He said what this means is “people who are mildly suffering ragweed allergies will start to feel the effect on their eyes and their nose in the next few days.”

There is some good news however.

According to Bielory, this year’s hay fever season is not expected to be as bad as last year’s because it’s been hot and humid with frequent rain showers.

Dr. Leonard Bielory
Dr. Leonard Bielory
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“It’s primarily due to the moisture, the humidity and the temperature that we’ve had,” he said. “Rain washes pollen out of the air, and the humidity will also make the pollen stickier and will keep it at a low altitude versus dispersing over miles, so one can expect that the ragweed season will be about half to three quarters, 75 percent of what it was last year.”

He said “the plants are robust, but they are primed to release everything in three weeks, versus five to seven weeks. Normally we have ragweed in the air from the middle of August all the way to the first frost but this year we’ll only go into mid September.”

Bielory said ragweed can give you a general malaise. It may give you itchy eyes, a runny nose and a fever — but unlike a viral infection, which usually lasts three to seven days, hay fever will persist for two to three weeks.

“Someone who is allergic to ragweed will feel its effects wherever your body interfaces with the environment, especially your eyes, as well as your nose," Bielory said.

He said once the pollen hits the ocular surface of the eyes, it interacts with allergy antibodies and then histamines are released in response, which triggers itching and swelling.

Bielory added allergies can and do trigger asthma, especially in children.

“Those who suffer with asthma, I recommend that they start speaking with their doctor now, trying to be proactive, and take medication ahead of time to decrease the impact on their lungs so they don’t get into trouble with their asthma,’ he said.

He also pointed out this is a widespread problem since “three out of four Americans are allergic to ragweed.”

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