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Familiar symptoms like headaches, congestion, itchy eyes, and a runny nose are indicative of seasonal allergies affecting Canadians as temperatures rise. Due to various factors, including climate change, allergy seasons are becoming more severe and prolonged.
Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan, an associate professor at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, noted the onset of allergy season with patients experiencing hay fever, asthma, and eczema symptoms coinciding with heightened pollen levels.
Thankfully, advancements in treatments offer allergy sufferers a range of options to alleviate symptoms, provided they ask the right questions to healthcare professionals.
Allergies are worsening across Canada. Recent data indicates increased pollen levels in many cities over the past decade, with climate change being a suspected factor.
Why is allergy season exacerbating?
Climate change is identified as the primary reason for the worsening allergy seasons in Canada, with longer durations and higher pollen counts being observed.
Dr. Gordon Sussman, an allergist and clinical immunologist in Toronto, highlighted the impact of pollution and carbon dioxide shifts on plant growth, while a recent study linked light pollution in urban areas to extended pollen seasons.
North America has witnessed increased pollen levels for over a decade, with studies pointing to rising temperatures as a key factor in prolonging and advancing allergy seasons.
Research spanning several decades and multiple cities globally, including Winnipeg and Saskatoon, demonstrates a significant rise in annual pollen rates due to escalating temperatures.
Which areas are most impacted by seasonal allergies?
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