If your allergies feel worse and last longer than they used to, you're not imagining it

If your allergies feel worse and last longer than they used to, you're not imagining it. A new study finds that climate change is making allergy seasons longer, stronger, and harder to predict.

Led by a medical student at George Washington University, the research reviewed 30 studies from 2000 to 2023. Over half found that rising temperatures are triggering earlier and more intense pollen releases—bad news for the 19 million US adults suffering from allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms like sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes are now hitting sooner and lingering later, sometimes by weeks. Some scientists predict pollen levels in the US could jump by 40% by the end of the century, with sneezing season starting nearly three weeks earlier in some regions.

For allergy sufferers, that means more fatigue, lost productivity, and doctor visits—as well as a growing need for stronger meds and financial support to keep symptoms under control.

#news #science #allergy #pollen #health #climatechange