Good luck with that!
While most illnesses are disagreeable and usually quite damaging to the body, some of them are simply unpleasant. I’m referring of curse to allergies, which are nature’s way of telling you that you should stay inside. Sure, you can stomach through most of them, maybe even be productive for the whole day, but eventually they do get the best of you.
And because one bad thing can’t just come alone, experts welcome you to allergies galore all thanks to El Niño. Especially for people living in areas with lots of plants, the next couple of months are going to be a living nightmare, as the weather brought forth by El Niño was exactly what it the plants needed to release excessive amounts of pollen.
In Sacramento, for example, known for its lush vegetation and beautiful green sceneries, the spore count has increased by a whopping 20% after four years of poor green growth. And the denizens can feel it, particularly those powerfully allergic, as the heavy rains followed by warm weather last month caused some by the book allergic reactions.
According to allergy expert Dr. Travis Miller, his patients started experiencing symptoms during the second week of February, which is something quite unusual, as they usually start in March. Additionally, he wanted to explain the following:
Once the sun comes out, and spring temperatures hit the 50- to 70-degree range with a little bit of wind, the trees, grasses and flowers let go of their pollen and hope that it will spore.
While allergies are usually bad enough for sufferers, the El Niño weather event is totally going to mess them up even more. People suffering from allergies are warned to expect at least two extra weeks of allergies than they used to, and also to expect them to be more powerful, as more pollen is being released than at any time in recent history.
Returning to Sacramento, the rate of allergies there is far greater than in many other places throughout the country, with 36% of citizens suffering from a form of allergy or another (generally mold or ragweed) compared to 20% nationwide. Its mild winters and abundant greenery make it the ideal spot for generating allergy symptoms.
For those unfamiliar, soring related allergic symptoms are generally shortness of breath, headaches, intense sneezing, sore throats, and nasal drainage. Dizziness is also a common symptom, especially for those more severely allergic.
Sadly, other than staying indoors and taking the appropriate allergy medication, there isn’t much you can do to limit the effects of the raging allergens around you. So just hang on until summer, when you’ll most likely be faced with the hottest weather registered in years.
Image source: Flickr
