NORFOLK, Va. — It’s the price we pay every year for warmer temperatures and beautiful, blooming nature.
For many people, spring means allergy season, and according to research, it may be getting harder to bear.
According to a 2023 University of Michigan study, pollen season is going to get longer and even more intense because of climate change.
“When we look at just including things like temperature and rain, we found that the pollen emissions increased by about 16 to 40% over the U.S.,” said Allison Steiner, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Michigan
If global carbon dioxide emissions continue as they are now, the U.S. could face up to a 200% increase in total pollen in the next 100 years, according to the study.
Previously published research reveals that in North America, from 1990 to 2018, pollen seasons lengthened by 20 days and pollen concentrations increased by 21%.
We aren’t just seeing increased symptoms from the changes, we’re also seeing many new patients.
"That is one of the biggest things that allergists see now,” said Dr. Neeta Ogden from American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “People who are in their 30s and 40s and 50s and are first-time allergy sufferers."
A 2023 Allergy Capitals report by nonprofit patient advocacy organization Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) even ranked Virginia Beach high up on its list of "Most Challenging Places to Live with Pollen Allergies."