Expert Says Dry Conditions A Pain For Allergy Sufferers

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An expert says current weather conditions are triggering an early allergy season.

The dry, warm conditions are not just exasperating the drought but are causing adults and children to suffer with irritating symptoms like itchy and watery eyes, coughing and sneezing.

Some are even seeing their asthma symptoms worsen.

Dr. Kristin Seiberling of Loma Linda University Medical Center talked to CBS2's Tom Wait about why our allergy season is out of whack.

"If you think about allergy seasons, you have the grasses pollinate in the summer. The weeds pollinate in the fall. Trees pollinate in the spring. So when you have the warm, dry climate you actually get pollination earlier," she said.

Without the rain, nature loses its ability to rinse away the pollen.

"So when we have extended periods of just warm, dry weather, the pollens are out there and then the breeze blows them and they're all over," Dr. Seiberling explained.

Allergy symptoms are usually treatable with over-the-counter medication or home remedies.

"One of the best kinds of low-cost therapies are salt water rinses in the nose because it flushes out the things you're breathing in that your body is reacting to," she said.

However, if serious symptoms emerge, Dr. Seiberling said sufferers should not hesitate to see a doctor.