Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 11, 1995 TAG: 9504110107
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANN DONAHUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Little. Yellow. Different.
Except instead of relieving suffering, as the TV commercial for a pain reliever promises, pollen causes it in those who are allergic.
Pollen counts have been sky-high in the Roanoke Valley. A measurement of 100 to 500 grains per cubic meter of air is considered moderate. Last Friday, the count was 1,839. Peak readings in previous Aprils have been in the 1,500 range.
Oak and pine trees are two of the biggest pollen producers, but the dry weather this spring deserves a share of the blame for keeping the count high.
"We didn't have a desperately cold, killing winter," said WDBJ (Channel 7) weather forecaster Robin Reed, who determines the pollen count for the valley each day. The warmer temperatures led to early blooming. On the plus side, Reed noted that unless it rains soon, plants may stop developing, which eventually would lead to less pollen being released.
Reed follows a meticulous process each day to determine the pollen count. On the roof of the television station is a box that holds two rods about the size of matchsticks that are coated with a silicon gel. For one minute each hour, the rods spin and catch impurities in the air, including pollen.
At the end of 24 hours, Reed takes what the rods have caught and stains it so that the pollen turns pink. He then places the stained slide under a microscope and painstakingly counts the pink spots.
"If it has just rained, it takes you two minutes to look at the slide and go, `There's nothing there,''' Reed said. But when the count soars up to the 1,800 level, he said, it becomes "eyebleed" work.
Pollen-allergy sufferers complain of red, watery eyes, nasal congestion and fatigue, according to Dr. George Abraham of Allergy & Asthma Associates. He said school performance of children may drop, and absences from work are more common.
He expects the next two weeks to have the worst pollen of the season.
"In spring, it's actually hard to avoid," Abraham said. "The valley traps the pollen, and people suffer more."
Doctors offer a little relief. Dr. Paul White of the Lewis-Gale Clinic said that treatment takes a three-pronged approach: avoidance, medication and allergy shots.
But even staying indoors isn't a sure escape. Pollen can infiltrate houses if windows are left open.
If windows are closed and the air conditioner is on, sufferers may get some relief. Both home and car air conditioners act as pollen filters.
"Maintaining a regular exercise system may help," Abraham said, because exercise can clear nasal passages and improve breathing.
Abraham advised sufferers to examine the side effects of certain kinds of over-the-counter medications before taking them for relief.
Decongestants are not recommended for the elderly because they raise blood pressure. Some types of antihistamines cause drowsiness and should not be used when driving.
He said asthma sufferers should also be wary of pollen. The grains of pollen are small enough to eventually reach the lungs and worsen asthma.
Have you noticed a yellow tint to your car? Blame it on the pollen.
Howard Dowe, owner of Howard's Car Care, warned that discoloration can occur if pollen gets absorbed into the paint. He recommended a good hand wax to prevent damage.
There's really no place to go to avoid spring allergens, according to Reed.
"The best place to be is places where things aren't growing," Reed said.
Traditionally, patients were told to go to the desert Southwest for relief. But a population boom there meant that more lawns were planted, and now not even Phoenix can be considered a safe haven for allergy sufferers.
by CNB