Oklahoma City metro ranked as one of top 2021 allergy capitals

Apr. 11—The arrival of spring means an increase in sneezing, congestion and scratchy throats for many Oklahoma City metro residents due to allergies.

A recent report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reveals the Oklahoma City metro area ranks as the ninth most challenging city to live in for allergy sufferers. The rankings are based on data from the 100 most populated Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the contiguous 48 states, and factor in pollination scores, rate of over-the-counter antihistamine use and number of allergy specialists in the area.

AAFA ranked Oklahoma City as the 7th most challenging city to live in with allergies in the spring, and 13th in the fall. Melanie Carver, chief mission officer for AAFA, said when looking at the criteria, Oklahoma City scores worse than average on both pollination scores and medication use.

"Other areas with worse-than-average spring pollen scores may fare better in the fall and vice versa, or may manage with less medication, which results in Oklahoma City being higher on the list," Carver said.

Carver said an allergy occurs when the body's immune system views a substance as harmful and overreacts to it.

"When someone has allergies, their immune system makes an antibody called immunoglobulin E, or IgE," Carver said. "These antibodies respond to allergens."

When the antibodies encounter the allergen, Carver said the IgE antibodies signal to other cells to release chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.

"One of those chemicals is histamine, [which] causes symptoms like itching and sneezing," Carver said.

Dr. Vivian Sachs, program director of family residency at OU Tulsa School of Community Medicine, said Oklahomans experiencing allergic reactions in the spring can attribute their symptoms to particular trees and grass.

"There are many different kinds of trees here that pollenize a lot, like Oak and Hackberry," Sachs said. "As the weather gets warmer, grass can also cause pollen, and that can make allergy season here even worse."

Many around the nation were experiencing allergy symptoms in February, and AAFA experts point to increased temperatures since 1970 and a rise in CO2 levels as a cause for longer pollination seasons. Oklahoma City has seen a 1.9 degree average temperature increase in the spring since 1970.

"Our warming climate is extending the growing period," Carver said. "Spring is starting earlier and fall is lasting longer. This prolongs how long plants are growing and producing pollen, and [that is] extending how long we deal with spring and fall allergies from pollen."

Carver said slowing the progression of global warming and the lengthening of pollination season will depend on interventions in traveling, manufacturing, energy and land use.

Although trees release pollen, Carver said they are also powerful climate moderators. She said most trees are monoecious, which means they bear male and female flowers on the same plant, but there are some options for female trees, which do not release pollen.

"Many urban planners have chosen male trees that do not bear fruit, pods or seeds, but they release pollen," Carver said. "By planting more female trees, it may help regulate surface temperature while also reducing the amount of pollen in nearby areas."

Sachs said those experiencing allergy symptoms should attempt trigger avoidance if possible, and use over-the-counter antihistamine medication.

"One thing that people don't think about is removing their clothes after they have been outside, because the pollen sticks in the clothes, and of course take a shower, because that can stay on the skin as well," Sachs said.

Sachs said some patients who see her for allergy issues forget to change their filters for their air conditioners and clean their vents, which can exacerbate allergic symptoms. She said using a vacuum instead of a broom for household cleaning can also provide relief.

For medication, Sachs recommends antihistamines like Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra or Xyzal, but prefers patients avoid decongestants if possible due to the chance of dependency.

Sachs said nasal sprays and saline solutions can help allergy sufferers by clearing allergens out of the nasal passages.

"If you want to use a nasal steroid like Flonase, you can rinse your nose out before use and it will work better," Sachs said. "Neti pots are also a good thing, but I do recommend filtered or boiled water because that will be safer."

If none of the over-the-counter remedies provide adequate symptom relief, Sachs recommends scheduling a visit with a primary care provider to explore other options.

"If you have really bad allergies, you may need to see an allergy specialist to do testing, or maybe some allergy shots," Sachs said.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at Jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.