Abnormally high temperatures have jumpstarted the 2023 allergy season

BALTIMORE -- Allergy season is here, and allergy sufferers have definitely noticed.

"I've already started taking allergy meds as of two weeks ago," Baltimore resident Ryan Casey said.

It may only be early March, but pollen is already floating around the air.

Pollen has exploded from plants much earlier than normal this year after an exceptionally warm February. 

"Invest in Claritin," Casey said. "Invest in all of those companies that make allergy meds this year: Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra. Sounds like those stocks might boom this year.

Dr. Esti Schabelman is the chief medical officer of Sinai Hospital and Grace Medical Center.

"You can't predict severity, but you can predict length," Schabelman said.

Schabelman said that this allergy season is going to be longer than usual because plants have already started flowering.

More than 24 million people in the United States have pollen-induced respiratory allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"If you are on allergy medication, usually for some small portion of the year, you probably want to start it a little bit earlier this year, especially if you are on a nasal steroid," Schabelman said. "You probably want to start that about two weeks before your allergies start."

Although it may be a rough couple of months for allergy sufferers, there are a few simple things they can do to make allergy season more tolerable.

Schabelman suggests showering more often. In fact, showering as soon as you get home to wash off the allergens will be most helpful.

He also recommended using saline rinses to get the allergens out of your nose.

The bad news is that this is something people should get used to as the planet continues to warm up, Schabelman said.

He predicts that a longer allergy season will be the new normal.