Pounded by Pollen

It`s the malady that has spread across the tri-state area with a vengence: Sneezing, coughing, itching eyes. We are trying to cope with one of the worst allergy seasons in years... and it may well get worse before it gets better.

It took a while for spring to arrive in New Jersey, but now that it`s here it`s not holding back.

Last week, the state`s vegetation suddenly bloomed.

It was a beautiful sight for the aesthetically inclined.

But it left those with allergies running _ albeit between sniffles and scratches _ for air conditioning.

Record high temperatures brought with them record pollen counts, runny noses and dry eyes.

Once it gets this bad, doctors say, it`s not going to get better any time soon.

Doctors who treat allergies are comparing this season to 1993, which was the worst in the dozen or so years pollen levels have been recorded in the state.

How bad is it?

Ask Ali Zacharkow of Florence. Her two teen-age children are allergy and asthma sufferers. Each of them takes prescription allergy drugs, nasal spray and three to four inhalers to treat their problems year-round.

Even with all that prevention, her son Matt, 17, had a scratchy throat last week.

"We decided it was just allergies," Zacharkow said.

Her SUV is also showing the effects of the blooming. Its sunroof is covered with the green-yellow pollen.

The pollen problem has been so bad in New Jersey there have been runs at drug stores for eye drops and any product that promises to dry nasal passages.

Robert Miller, a pharmacist at Happy Harry`s Discount Drug Store in Pennsville, said for the past month a stream of customers have been filling prescriptions for nasal sprays and drugs like Claritin and Allegra to try to quell the effects.

Customers who haven`t gone to the doctor all seem to be asking for suggestions for over-the-counter help.

"I expect it to continue to be bad for the next couple of months," Miller said.

Pollen counts in metropolitan Philadelphia soared to a record high of 6,800 grains per cubic meter April 25. On a Newark rooftop, the count exceeded 5,000 during last week`s heat wave.

Counts between 200 and 500 are considered very high. Counts 10 times that high are likely to create problems even for people whom don`t normally give in to allergies.

On Tuesday, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey`s pollen count was down to around 200.

Unfortunately, Leonard Bielory, director of the Asthma and Allergy Research Center at the Newark campus of the school, said the decrease may not help much.

He said people who are normally sensitive only to extreme pollen counts become more sensitive once they`re exposed to those high counts.

"Your eyes and nose and even your lungs are a little bit raw," Bielory said.

That means if you`ve suffered more than normal, you`re likely to keep suffering.

Bielory said based on weather predictions, he expects the pollen count to stabilize in the 200 to 500 range over the next few weeks.

The lack of rain is making the problem worse.

Doctors say there are a few things people can do to minimize their woes.

Most of them aren`t much fun. Among the suggestions: keeping home and car windows closed and staying inside during the early morning and late evening when the pollen is at its worst.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)