Runny noses, sneezing, sore throats and itchy, watery eyes are a familiar sight this time of year.
Allergy season is here and experts say this year will be brutal. Rain and warm temperatures could trigger one of the worst allergy seasons Arizona has ever seen.
"Allergy season will definitely be bad this year," said Laura Ispas-Ponas of Sonoran Allergy and Asthma Center in Scottsdale. "I think it will be one of the worst ones ever."
All the rain and warm temperatures the Phoenix area has received lately will activate plant life in the valley, Ispas-Ponas said. Increased rain leads to increased plant pollination. And many of the trees, grasses and weeds in Arizona, including Bermuda grass, Ash trees, Olive trees and Mulberry trees have small light and dry pollen which is easily carried by the wind. The inhaled pollens in the air trigger symptoms in people with allergies.
"Allergy sufferers will start seeing their symptoms kick in in the next week or two," Ispas-Ponas said. "And they probably won't see relief until May."
When temperatures exceed 100 degrees, the pollination period is over for most spring allergens.
No respite in the desert
Arizona wasn't always a bad place for allergy sufferers. Doctors used to send people with allergies to dry, arid states, like Arizona, because there was less pollen in the air, Ispas-Ponas said.
"While that may have been the case 30 or 40 years ago, that's not the case anymore. When people moved here they didn't like the desert landscaping, so they brought along plants and trees that aren't hypo-allergenic," she said.
Now those plants and trees, including Mulberry and Olive trees, have flourished in large numbers.
People with allergies make up about 30 to 40 percent of the population in Arizona, Ispas-Ponas said. Allergy symptoms include sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose, drowsiness, fatigue, headaches, a sore throat and itchy, watery eyes.
"It happens every year about the same time, I start feeling really sick and I don't know if I am sick or if it is just the allergies again," Esther Hsu a junior at Arizona State University said.
"I've had to miss school before because of it; it's that bad," Hsu said.
Allergy season is typically in the spring and peaks in March or April, said Bart Leyko of the Allergy Asthma Clinic in Chandler.
More than a few extra sneezes
Allergies can cause more than just irritation and discomfort. They can lead to other illnesses, including sinus infections, eczema and asthma, Leyko said.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology more than 70 percent of people with asthma also suffer from allergies.
Phoenix is ranked 14th worst in the country among the 100 asthma capitals, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.
So why do some people have allergies while others don't?
Inhaled, allergens such as pollens and molds combine with an allergic antibody. The allergic antibody is normally present in very low levels, but is found in larger amounts in people with allergies. When combined, the pollens or molds and the allergic antibody cause the release of the chemical histamine, which causes inflammation in the nose and airway leading to allergy symptoms, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
"Allergies can strike anyone at anytime," said Jean Nelson, a nurse practitioner at Allergy and Immunology Associates in Scottsdale.
"We had a woman in our office that started experiencing allergy symptoms for the first time in her life at the age of 70," Nelson said.
Getting relief
There is no cure for allergies but there are three treatment options that can alleviate symptoms: medication (pills, nasal sprays, eye drops, etc.), allergy immunotherapy shots and avoidance, Ispas-Ponas said.
Non-prescription medicines, such as Benadryl, Tavist and Claritin, are some of the most common treatments.
Hsu said she takes Claritin for her allergies.
However, she said she feels dependent on it. "Sometimes if I don't have it, I can't even get through the day."
There are few new prescription drugs except eye drops such as Elestat which helps control itching of the eyes. Also, the nasal spray Nasonex recently changed its formula to remove it fragrance, Ispas-Ponas said.
Ispa-Ponas recommends using a steroid nasal spray, as prescribed, which can help to reduce congestion, swelling, sneezing and runny noses.
Immunotherapy offers the most long-term results, using a series of shots over three to five years to help the body build tolerance for the pollen providing lifelong relief, Ispa-Ponas said.
"Immunotherapy shots will be life changing for 90 percent of allergy sufferers," she said, "but they don't work overnight, it is a long process."
Avoidance is still one of the most important defenses, Leyko said. To avoid allergens keep windows closed, especially at night, take a quick shower to wash pollen off of skin and out of hair and avoid being outside early in the morning when pollen levels are highest.
Shanna Hogan is a freelance contributor to the Web Devil. Reach her at shanna.hogan@asu.edu.