The sneezing, watery eyes and runny noses from seasonal allergies are poised to land more people in the emergency room as temperatures rise, researchers have found.
In a study published online yesterday in GeoHealth, scientists reported that warmer winters resulting from climate change will lead to more intense pollen from oak trees, spelling more misery for allergy sufferers.
We believe that this is a health risk that has been underappreciated and is likely worsening, said lead author Susan Anenberg, an environmental scientist at Environmental Health Analytics LLC, a health research and consulting firm.
Several previous studies have shown that allergy seasons are continually getting worse as pollen gradually emerges earlier each year with greater vigor and longer duration (Climatewire, Aug. 25, 2016).
Increased carbon dioxide levels around plants like ragweed also leads to greater pollen production. For allergy sufferers, this pollen can trigger an immune response ranging from mild symptoms like headaches to severe problems like difficulty breathing.
Anenberg and her team sought to quantify the impact of this alarming allergy accrual.
The researchers looked at emergency room visits related to asthma, a common allergy complication, stemming from exposure to pollen from oak trees. This already leads to more than 20,000 emergency room trips in the United States each year, mostly for children younger than 18, with damages estimated at $10.4 million.