5 signs that spring & spring allergies are on their way (in NYC)

After a long and particularly “white” winter - especially if you’re in the NYC area - we bet you are more than ready for spring. But for those of you with seasonal allergies, the dawning of spring also means the beginning of the much dreaded sneezing, wheezing, and itching. The real culprit in this case is pollen, or the grains emitted by trees, weeds, and grasses to fertilize other plants, thus completing the essential process of life and of sending your immune system into overdrive. Today we’ve gathered for you five signs that spring and spring allergies are coming soon to New York City, and some tips that can help you enjoy blooming flowers without blooming allergies too!

1. Warming weather: This winter we’ve went through a particularly busy onslaught of snow storms, with temperatures dipping down to near record lows and treacherous conditions forcing school closings and traffic accidents. But relief is near! After a few chilly days at the end of February, weather forecasts get a great deal sunnier, and those of us who’ve battled through this winter can relax and expect some pleasant days ahead. However, for the city’s spring-blooming trees (whose pollen are the most to blame for spring allergies), especially in beautiful Central Park, this thawing is their signal to begin sending their pollen spores out and begin their beautiful and itchy return to life.

2. Late winter precipitation: In addition to the vigorous snow storms throughout the season, we’ve also seen quite a few thunderstorms in this late winter. This plentiful watering creates favorable conditions for trees and plants to bloom and could mean higher pollen counts when they do.

3. We’ve got top secret information that bulb flowers like tulips and daffodils are already beginning to sprout in Central Park through the melting snow. Although bulb flower pollens or fragrances are not notable spring allergens, their presence is the harbinger of the season and the blooming of other Central Park and city-wide trees and plants, much like the American elm.

4. Early blooming American elm flowers: Fortunately for many NYC dwellers, there’s a great stock of the graceful and massive American elm trees throughout Central Park. Unfortunately for many of us, elm pollen is one of the greatest offenders of spring allergies in New York City and the Northeast. In addition, American elm flowers bloom in clusters in early spring, as early as late January. This means that by late February, if we’re not experiencing elm pollen already, we should be expecting them, and the accompanying allergy symptoms, soon.

5. Allergenic city trees: Along with elm, some of the most common street trees in New York City, such as maple, ash, and oak (which account for 5 of the 10 most common NYC trees) are among the top culprits of spring allergies and of your sneezing, sniffling, misery.

So what are some ways to combat the dark side of a coming spring?

• Shut windows and doors to keep out pollen
• Avoid going out in the morning when pollen count is the highest
• Keep track of pollen levels and stay in when they’re particularly high
• Regular house-cleaning to prevent outdoor allergen build-up on furniture

These are a few basic tips to help you enjoy the spring season. Seeing an allergist before pollen arrives can also help you identify your offending allergens and fight (aka treat) the battle early.  If this is you, get in contact with us, you will be glad you did. 

Facts about insect bites and bee stings

Winters can be drab and long. We long for warm sunshine and the moment nice weather comes about, it is time to go outside! As New Yorkers, one of our favorite outdoor local destinations is Central Park. Central Park is great for picnics, boating, biking, walking and exploring, but it is also full of insects!

Something that many of us forget is that a “bug bite” is usually an allergic reaction to being stung. So, in light of the time you are going to be spending outside this summer, we wanted to share a few fun facts about stinging insects. 

1. It is estimated that 1 out of 30 adults could have a potentially life threatening reaction to the venom of a stinging insect such as a bee, wasp or hornet. 
2. Yellow Jackets are aggressive, build nests in the ground and are usually a problem for gardeners digging up weeds.
3. Hornets are even more aggressive, normally bigger, and have large nests in shrubs and trees.
4. Wasps live in smaller, honeycomb shaped hives found under the eaves of roofs or in shrubs.
5. Honey bees usually live in hives found in old logs, but in New York City can more frequently be found in rooftop apiaries on top of different buildings

You might not know it, but urban honey bee farming has become a sort of new phenomenon in NYC and it’s not just a hipster fad. And while we welcome sustainable locavore practices, this inevitably will increase the amount of bees in the urban areas, which can pose a threat for those of us who are allergic to bee stings.

Whether you find yourself living below an urban bee garden or hiking in the woods, here are some helpful tips to avoid getting stung: 

1.  Honeybees are not aggressive, and generally do not attack unless provoked
2. Honeybees love flowers. Flower have bright colors and beautiful scents, so that yellow summer dress + Marc Jacobs Dot perfume, increase the chances of tricking bees into thinking you’re a gigantic flower. Consider this when getting dressed.
3.  While there is nothing more wholesome than a barefoot run through a field of clovers, clover flowers are among the bees’ favorite nectar spots, and getting stung on the bottom of your bare foot will ruin your whole day.
4. Bees love nectar, which is essentially sugar and water, which is essentially 90% of soda, margaritas, sangria, etc. If you are outside with friends, double check that a bee hasn’t decided to go for a swim in your cocktail or soda before drinking it.
5. Bees buzzing around your head with an onomatopoeic symphony might activate your instinct to swat at them. Suppress that instinct. Bees are not interested in you, unless, that is, you take a swing at them.
6. If you are allergic to insect stings, make sure to carry injectable epinephrine whenever outdoors.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevewall/157952579

Also for some, getting stung can be life threatening. Do you know about your bite history?

If you do have had a history of getting a severe reaction to any stinging insect we’d recommend that you see an allergist ASAP for skin testing and therapy. Another solution that an allergist can provide is immunotherapies, which have shown to significantly decrease the risk of systemic reaction from stinging insects. This might be an avenue you want to consider and you should contact us to get skin tested.

If you have any other questions about bee stings or other or insect bites, we’d like to be a resource. Our allergists can work with you to alleviate any allergies or provide you with tools and education on preventative measures. 

For more information call us at 212.729.1283 or email us at info@hudsonallergy.com.

Central Park Allergens: Tree Pollen

Millions of tourists visit Central Park each year to see the sights, but for local New Yorkers Central Park is considered one of the top places to escape the hustle bustle of the city. Central Park is an oasis in the concrete jungle, a place to recharge from our crazy lives, a place to BREATH! 

However, as springtime comes, some of us find it hard to breath in Central Park, as the trees, weeds and flowers begin to bloom.

Central Park is the flor and fauna capital of Manhattan, and many allergy sufferers become conflicted between the beauty of her nature and the effect it has on our allergies. 

As a New York City Adult and Pediatric Allergy and Asthma practice, we want to help our fellow New Yorkers identify some of the common Central Park trees and plants that can be tough on allergies.

Oak Trees: Few trees are as “strong as an oak” and this strength is carried throughout their pollen. There are approximately 600 different species of oak across planet earth and there are about 5 different species that live in Central Park.  To pollinate, oak trees produce catkins, which are slender dense clusters of petal-less flowers. These catkins develop prior to the leaves, and aid in the pollination process, but they make a mess as they float about the air. You can find some gigantic Spanish Oak and Northern Red Oak near the Great Lawn.

Cypress Trees: These beautiful trees have been causing humans allergies since before Central Park, and even the ancients Greeks had allergies to the Mediterranean Cypress Trees.  Cypress pollens can cause a “green pollution” when their pollen is released, and this could be the stuff you see floating atop the Harlem Meer. Two types of Cypress in Central Park are the Common Bald Cypress and Swamp Cypress.

Maple Trees: While maple trees are the source of delicious maple syrup, they are also the parents of some of the most allergenic pollen. These pollens regularly trigger asthma so if you are asthmatic, it is wise to keep your distance.  There are some beautiful Red Maples in Central Park, especially near the Mall At Bandshell.

Grass: No list would be complete without mentioning one of the most commonly known allergy-inducing culprits, grass. There are many types of grasses in Central Park and they can all have different affects on people. When in the park, it is normal to sit and play in the grass and this direct skin contact allows for the blades and their microscopic barbs to irritate your skin. This is a tough one to avoid, but wearing long sleeves can prevent direct contact, and a quick shower can also help relieve the itching.

If you find your self itching and sneezing when you walk through the park, chances are that you have allergies to one of the many trees found in Central Park. If you want to know for certain, schedule an allergy test and lets get to the root of it!

To find out more about the different trees in Central Park, click here. 

Lousy Smarch Weather

Last week I happily put my winter coats in the back of the closet, and then this week I begrudgingly pulled them back out again. It seems that March this year has come in like and lion, and it looks like its going to go out like a…well..a lion. Is this going to make the allergy season shorter? Can we all stop stocking up on Kleenex?

Studies looking at the relationship between weather patterns and pollen levels are notoriously difficult to perform.  Pollen collecting devices are obviously static and cannot move around.  Therefore, any variations in wind patterns precipitation, or even land use for farming and commercial development can have effects on local pollen counts, without really explaining what’s going on in the wider region.

One of the best studies was performed in the mid-eighties in California. The study looked at oak pollen (a really common allergen in NYC, and the most populous trees in Central Park) over a 9 year period of time, looking at various meteorological variables. The level of total pollen counts and, therefore allergy symptoms, was best explained not by the length of the winter months, but by the total rainfall the previous year.  Last year, NYC came just under the average for rainfall, so maybe we will be spared this season?

Another multi-year study in Colorado looked at temperatures and weed pollen (like ragweed). They found that higher temperatures led to more days of high pollen counts, and that early frost effectively ended the allergy season. Will these prolonged low temperatures lead to lower pollen counts this spring? Maybe this year Mother Nature is trying to give all of us a break by keeping it colder just a little bit longer.

If you are interested in finding out if you have allergies, what you are allergic to and how your symptoms can be cured, we are here to help. Give us a call to schedule an appointment, or simply click here to bookonline.