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Allergy sufferers usually get a break in winter, but mild temperatures mean no relief this year
When the ground freezes and the temperature plummets, allergy sufferers usually enjoy a reprieve from the misery of mold.But this year, Mother Nature isn't giving those pesky spores the cold shoulder.
Some area allergy specialists are seeing more patients than usual who are feeling the effects of mold allergies.
The reason: The season's unusually mild temperatures and soggy (rather than frozen) ground.
Before last week's snowfall, the region saw little of the white stuff that normally blankets the ground and buries mold.
A weather pattern known as El Nino is pushing cold Canadian air to the north and allowing warm air to flow into this region.
Consequently, December was the sixth-warmest on record, with temperatures recorded at Akron-Canton Airport averaging 37.3 degrees, almost 7 degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service.
Patients with mold allergies can have symptoms year-round because the spores can grow in damp basements and other moist places indoors, said Dr. Bela Faltay, an Akron allergist with Northeast Ohio Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Associates.
``But this year, we still have a lot of outdoor mold exposure,'' he said.
``A lot of the people who normally, by October, would have a nice break and typically would have less symptoms through the wintertime -- particularly those with asthma -- are having more difficulty.''
Bridget Coffman doesn't need to consult a meteorologist to know that temperatures are unseasonably warm and mold counts are unusually high.
The 42-year-old allergy sufferer and asthma patient from New Franklin knows by her stuffy head and persistent sneezing that mold spores are present.
``I can track how I'm doing by how many boxes of Kleenex I'm using,'' she said. ``Actually, as much as I dislike the cold, I'd like to see a little bit of cold to knock the molds down.''
To make matters worse, some folks also are suffering from congestion and head pressure because of this winter's ever-changing skies and up-and-down temperatures, Faltay said.
humidity and temperatures that typically are more common when the seasons change.
``This year it hasn't really let up,'' Faltay said. ``.
.. It's definitely a roller-coaster ride in Ohio.
''
There's no escape indoors, either.
The usual year-round allergen suspects -- dust mites and cat or dog dander -- also are plaguing many allergy sufferers.
``When you're indoors a lot more with winter, your allergy exposure to indoor items is higher,'' said Dr.
Ravi Karnani, an Akron allergist and immunologist with Allergy and Asthma Center of Northeast
Ohio.
Year-round allergies can be hard to diagnose because symptoms can be mistaken for colds or upper-respiratory infections, Karnani said.
``They aren't always the most itchy, sneezy people,'' as is the case with seasonal allergy sufferers, he said.
Instead, they often have chronic nasal congestion, post-nasal drip or other similar symptoms that don't clear up.
He recommends that people with cold-like symptoms that don't improve within a couple of weeks see their primary-care doctor.
Though people can't control the weather, there are things they can do to help battle allergies.
Those with mold allergies can inhibit mold growth by using a dehumidifier to limit indoor humidity levels to less than 50 percent, Karnani said. Fix leaky pipes and wet basements, too.
People with dust mite allergies should consider installing hepa filters for their furnace, which cost about $5 to $15 and keep many irritants from circulating through the home, Faltay said.
(The filters, incidentally, can help combat mold allergies, too.)
Wash bed linen regularly in hot water and dry on high heat. Zippered covers for pillows and mattresses also can help cut dust mite problems.
Watch out for stuffed animals on the bed, which also can harbor dust mites, Karnani said.
In severe cases, sufferers might consider removing carpeting and switching to another type of flooring.
For patients with pet allergies, limit exposure as much as possible.
``If you have a pet, if possible, keep it out of the bedroom,'' Karnani said. ``At least let the bedroom be a haven if possible.''
Over-the-counter remedies, such as decongestants, can help.
Antihistamines can ease itching and sneezing. But use caution when taking Benadryl and other over-the-counter remedies containing diphenhydramine, which is sedating.
If environmental controls and these or prescription treatments like nasal steroids don't control symptoms, allergy testing and possibly shots should be considered so people can build their tolerance to the allergy triggers, Karnani said.
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