More and more people are experiencing seasonal allergies. Conditions in Arizona however mean those itchy throats and runny noses can last all year.
Because much of Phoenix never gets too cold, some plants continue to grow. And non-native plants can also bloom at various times, depending on the species.
For a lot of people, this means that hay fever can last year round.
Dr. Kiranjit Khalsa is an allergist with Premier Asthma and Immunology. She says weather and air quality can make those conditions worse.
“So if we go through these long periods of dry climates, you might notice an uptick of your allergies a little bit. That can be partly due to you know climate change, increase in heat and just changing of seasons," Khalsa said.
She says air quality can play a big role in the severity of symptoms.
"If you are breathing in air, where there's high pollution and there's smog and there's smoke, that can really trigger the inflammatory pathways of your nasal passages and create similar effects of allergic rhinitis or hay fever," she said.
Khalsa said staying ahead of symptoms means consistent use of allergy medicines and recommended seeing an allergist for persistent problems.
