Achoo! Allergies Bloom Thanks to Bountiful Rain

The rains that ended a six-year drought and transformed Northern California into a landscape of greens have given allergy sufferers the blues.

“We’re seeing a lot of nasal congestion, stuffiness, eye problems and a little bit of asthma,” said Dr. Michael LeNoir, an allergist affiliated with Alta Bates Herrick Hospital in Berkeley. “Potentially, this could be one of the worst allergy seasons we’ve seen in a very long time.”

The rains mean plants have an opportunity to make up for the lean years by pollinating freely, creating a carpet of verdant growth that is easy on the eyes but hard on the noses of those sensitive to pollens.

“They are going wild this year,” said Maureen Stanton, botany professor at UC Davis, adding that “a year that is terrific for botanists is a usually a terrible year for allergy sufferers.”

As of Thursday, distress calls were up, allergists said, but the volume was expected to increase still more once the lingering rains ease.

“As soon as we have a couple of weeks of dry weather, particularly if a little wind picks up, we’re going to see enormous pollen. It’s going to get worse,” said Dr. Daniel Adelman, director of clinical allergy and immunology at UC San Francisco.

The big problem is grass season, which starts this month.

LeNoir recommended that sufferers try over-the-counter medications first, looking for medicines that do not cause drowsiness if they don’t want to fall asleep on the job.

Humans aren’t the only ones affected by the prominent pollen.

“The last two or three weeks we’ve seen a very marked increase in the number of cats and dogs we’ve treated for allergies,” said Walnut Creek veterinarian David P. Bjork.

Of course, not everyone dreads the onslaught of sneezes and sniffles.

“It depends which side you’re on,” LeNoir pointed out. “If you’re a patient, it’s going to be terrible, but if you’re an allergist, it’s not that bad.”