Q: I’d like to get some historical perspective/trends on pollen counts. It seems to me that as the weather grows warmer the count would go up. Is there a point where pollen becomes toxic?
—Don Penovi, Atlanta
A: Yes, pollen counts go up in the spring as the weather gets warmer, according to officials with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma, which measures the pollen count for Atlanta.
Pollen is released from plants to reproduce. Larger pollens are transferred by insects, while smaller microscopic pollens are windblown, the practice’s officials told Q&A on the News via email.
Insect-pollinated plants include colorful flowers, while windblown pollen includes the hardwood trees, grasses and certain weeds.
Springtime allergy symptoms in Atlanta are caused by the hardwoods (oak, elm and cedar, for example), which have windblown pollen. Individuals who are allergic to the pollens released in the spring will experience allergy symptoms.
Pollen isn’t toxic, although at levels in the extremely high range, it can be an irritant even to people that are not allergic, practice officials told Q&A on the News.
Recent studies suggest that with longer, warmer seasons, certain pollen can be more allergenic, they added.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column; Katie Tiller contributed. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
