Experts: 'Pollen tsunami' creates harsh allergy season

Many in the northeast are suffering from allergy attacks because of what experts call a "pollen tsunami." Normally, trees release their pollen in early spring. The long and snowy winter delayed that

News 12 Staff

May 13, 2015, 6:33 AM

Updated 3,497 days ago

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Many in the northeast are suffering from allergy attacks because of what experts call a "pollen tsunami."
Normally, trees release their pollen in early spring. The long and snowy winter delayed that process. With the weather finally warming up, everything's blooming at once and creating the perfect pollen storm.
"This has been a very crazy allergy season. The pollen has been high for a month or so," said allergy specialist Dr. David Wertheim. He says the situation only got worse recently after oak trees began to bloom.
Dr. David Wertheim says he's seen an uptick in the number of patients suffering from seasonal allergies in the past two weeks. Some relieving tips include taking antihistamines, using saline solution to cleanse nasal passages and showering before going to sleep to prevent pollen from accumulating on pillowcases and bed sheets.
Dr. Wertheim says rain would help because it would wash pollen out of the air and give allergy-sufferers a break. He says the pollen count should taper down after Memorial Day.