Pollen is a most fascinating product of nature. It causes the propagation of plant species.
It was train conductors in early America that noticed that the farther they went up in elevation, that the less of what we would call allergy symptoms seemed to exist. It is this simple observation that led many allergy sufferers to go to “allergy resorts” in the White Mountains of Vermont, some of which are still in existence today.
This is where the first United States Hay Fever Association was actually located as well. Interestingly, hay fever has little to do with hay and does not cause fever.
Charles Blackley in 1872 was studying the dust that came from the plant “Roman Wormwood”, the early name given to what we now call ragweed. He grew these plants in early green houses. The plant was noted for its prolific ability to produce a fine green dust. One day, after receiving a cut on the arm as the result of a cat scratch, he went to study the plant.
After shaking the green pollen from the plant he noticed that he had a rash (hives, welts) in the area where the dust landed on the cat scratches. Later, he induced scratches on his other arm and introduced the pollen from the plant and developed the rash again. He obviously suffered greatly whenever he studied the plant and wore a mask around the plants but he discovered the possibility that the dust was actually causing the problem.
Later, dust from the ragweed plant was sealed and taken to the White Mountains to see if it was the cause of allergy symptoms. After breathing the rather pollenless air in the upper elevations of the White Mountains, susceptible subjects exposed themselves to the dust of ragweed and within 20 minutes were indeed suffering the same fate they felt in the fall of the lower elevations. It was at this point that the study of allergy began and the impact nature has on the health of individuals.
Ah, the proverbial adage, “tis the season for sneezing and wheezing.” This is a lovely time of year for the beauty that Mother Nature brings. However, it can also cause about 20 percent of the population to suffer symptoms of itchy, watery and red eyes, sneezing, itchy nose with clear discharge, nasal congestion, headaches, post nasal drip, skin rashes and coughing or wheezing and a host of other complaints reminiscent of seasonal allergy symptoms.
This is the time of year when allergic pollens make their way into the respiratory tracts of susceptible people and cause them quite misery. This time of year, for them, usually heralds multiple trips to the store for medications and possible trips to the doctor for help when the medications are not satisfactory.
I get many people coming in this time of year, and the most interesting thing I find is that patients state they are suffering from the grass. Every time they have to mow, they wear masks or pretreat themselves and make sure to hose their bodies off and put the laundry directly into the machine upon entering the house.
Interestingly their symptoms, at this time of year, have nothing to do with grass pollens. What is happening now, and at a most explosive pace, is the trees are pollinating. Tree pollen is the first pollen to be seen in the springtime.
Of course, people mistake the problem as the grass as it is beginning to grow and needing to be cut. However, grass does not pollinate in this area until usually the beginning of summer. The tree pollens, of course, deposit everywhere but we see it mainly as the green/yellow dust on the porches and car surfaces than we do directly on the grass.
As you read this, you may question this as it seems instinctual that the grass is the culprit. It is interesting that when I state this to my own patients they will vehemently argue with me. I usually ask them to track the pollen in their local area through pollen counters, which can be found on multiple sites on the Internet. One such site is Pollen.com.
I usually post these results on my front door so patients can see what is happening, and if they have been tested in the past, they can ready themselves for the onslaught of symptoms that we try to prevent.
Dr. Jon Welch is an allergy and immunology specialist at Rowan Diagnostic Clinic.