May 4, 2016
allergies, allergy, allergy symptoms, Dr. Donald Dvorin, grass pollen, local pollen count, mulberry tree pollen, oak tree pollen, pollen, pollen count, The Asthma Center, tree pollen

Tree pollen remains Very High today in the Delaware Valley.  Overall volume of Tree pollen decreased 23%-40% with a greater reduction in overall volume noted in The Asthma Center’s urban (Philadelphia, PA) air sample versus the suburban (Mount Laurel, NJ) air sample. 

Oak Tree Pollen, again today, is the principal tree pollen seen in both air samples.  Of note, however, in the Philadelphia, PA pollen count, Mulberry Tree Pollen volume actually increased (nearly tripled compared to yesterday’s count) and is a close “2^nd Place” to Oak Tree Pollen.  In both the NJ and PA pollen counts, Pine tree pollen is the 3^rd highest contributor to overall volume.  “Volume is never the whole story,” reminds Dr. Dvorin, The Asthma Center’s certified pollen and mold spore counter. 

Be sure to catch up on our last blog “Grains Against the Rain:  More Tree Pollen for NJ & PA.”

Grass pollen is slightly increased to Low levels.  If you are allergic to grass pollen, there are two things you should keep in mind:

1. It’s crucial to recognize your symptoms when they first appear and to be knowledgeable about your management and treatment options—if you are extremely sensitive or allergic to grass pollen (Allergy Skin Testing), exposure to even minimal amounts of this aeroallergen may trigger symptoms.
2. Based on Dr. Dvorin’s historical pollen data, Grass pollen seen during the Spring typically peaks in May. Given current meteorological conditions in our region, today’s slight increase in Grass pollen suggests that as soon as the ground dries out, a dramatic surge in Grass pollen can be expected.

Outdoor mold spores today are slightly decreased but remain Very High.

What’s Ahead?

Right now, conditions in our region are dry but cloudy and cool.  Daytime high temperatures are expected to remain unseasonably cool until Saturday.  More clouds and possible rain showers are also in most forecasts for the Delaware Valley through Saturday morning with the sun expected to finally break through Saturday afternoon, just in time for Mother’s Day.

If you’re starting to make Mother’s Day weekend plans, be sure to check back daily for The Asthma Center’s daily Pollen and Mold Spore Count, the Delaware Valley’s only Official count station which is certified by the National Allergy Bureau.  Subscribe to receive our daily counts by email or check out some of our other blog posts to learn more about what is in the air, how it can affect you, and what you can do about it.

What Can You Do?

“An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.” Benjamin Franklin

Philadelphia’s own Benjamin Franklin wore many “hats” during his lifetime, and much of his wisdom still applies today. The above quote attributed to him, for example, exemplifies what it means to be pro-active.

For those suffering from terrible allergies right now, if over-the-counter (OTC) medications are not helping, you may want to start thinking about ways to prevent “history repeating itself” next spring.  For example, if you are allergic to grass pollen, Allergy Immunotherapy (Allergy Shots) or  perhaps oral immunotherapy grass tablets may be helpful to get through the grass pollen season next year.  If you are allergic to multiple kinds of pollen (tree, grass, ragweed, and/or other weeds), allergy shots are extremely effective in reducing the acute symptoms of  nasal allergy such as sneezing and congestion (just to name two.)  Allergy shots are also beneficial if you have multiple pollen allergies and experience other symptoms such as fatigue, sinus headache, mental “fogginess,” and cough, which are all symptoms often associated with severe allergies.

Get Relief-Saturday appointments are available!

The best way to manage your allergies is to find out exactly what’s causing your symptoms. The Asthma Center has 9 locations in PA & NJ with the following Saturday hours in addition to our normal Monday – Friday business hours.

• May 7 and May 14: the Mount Laurel, NJ office will be seeing patients.
• May 14: the Hamilton, NJ office will be seeing patients.
• May 14 and June 4: the Langhorne, PA office will be seeing patients.