Every spring, Fairbanks is subjected to some of the highest pollen counts anywhere in the world. Locally, birch tree pollen is by far the most prolific and problematic. In general, trees pollinate in the spring, grasses through the summer and weeds in the fall. With the snow cover in Alaska, the window of time is narrow for these plants to reproduce and survive, resulting in temporarily very high levels of pollen.Birch pollen, 2022; Image by Susan Harry, Medical Laboratory Scientist, TVC

Why does this happen? Because plants have to pollinate to reproduce. In order to do this successfully, the pollen has to get from the “male” structure or stamen to the “female” structure called the stigma. There are two main ways that plants (trees, grasses, weeds) can pollinate.

Plants with bright flowers and fragrant smells pollinate with the help of insects that transport their pollen. The colors and nectar attract the insects to the flower. The pollen will stick to the insects and travel along from flower to flower. These plants are entomophilous or insect pollinated. Generally these plants do not contribute to allergies because the pollen is not airborne and available to trigger typical allergies.

Most trees simply release their pollen into the air, to be carried as far as the wind will take it. Pollen can be transported hundreds of miles, but most settles within three miles. These trees are anemophilous. This process is much less efficient than the insect process. Because of this, the pollen of anemophilous trees is lightweight and aerodynamically designed to catch the wind. Anemonphilous trees put out very large amounts of pollen in hopes that one pollen makes it. This is good for the trees, but bad for the people who are allergic to the pollen. This means that there is plenty of pollen around and that it is easily breathed into our nose.

Alder pollen, 2022; Image by Susan Harry, Medical Laboratory Scientist, TVCOften, one plant is pollinating while another plant is flowering. The plant that is flowering is blamed because you can see the beautiful colors on the flowers of the entomophilous plant. But in reality, it is the almost invisible pollen of the anemophilous plant that is causing you problems.

In the spring, when a person says “my allergies are bad”, they probably mean allergic rhinitis (nose) and allergic conjunctivitis (eyes). The four “cardinal symptoms” of allergic rhinitis are rhinorrhea (runny nose), sneezing, nasal congestion, and itching. Allergy symptoms are intended to protect the airway. It’s our nose’s way of saying to the pollen, “get out of here.” The runny nose is meant to flush out the pollen, the sneeze expels the pollen violently, and the congestion is to block the pollen’s progress towards the lungs. Similarly the watery eyes are trying to flush out the pollen.

The foundation of every allergy plan is to know what you are allergic to and how to avoid it. For pollen this isn’t so simple. 

• Close the windows. Don’t let pollen just float into your home. 
• Daily pollen counts peak mid-morning. Plan that walk around the lake in the evening. 
• Be careful of the dry, windy day that follows the rainstorm, pollen can be heavier those days. 
• After being outside, change your clothes. Take a quick shower and shampoo your hair. Get the pollen off of your body.

Immunotherapy, works to shift the immune system away from the tendency to react to specific allergens. It is considered a “desensitization” to your allergies. Locally, this is available as sublingual (under the tongue) drops for birch trees. Multiple allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) are shown to change the long term course of allergic rhinitis, asthma and eczema.

Medications often leave something to be desired for those who suffer from allergies. Nasal steroid sprays work best when used consistently and when started a couple weeks before the pollen season starts. Antihistamines come in several different brands. There are long-acting, non-sedating versions and short-acting ones that can make you sleepy. Sometimes the medicines don’t seem to help the eyes as much, so there are special eye drops as well. All of these medicines are available over-the-counter or by prescription.

In Alaska, we know the pollen comes, like clockwork. Get skin tested to find out what you are sensitive to. Close your windows. Start your nose spray. Have your eye drops ready. BE PREPARED!

Dr. Anthony Bonitatibus is a board-certified allergist and a member of the Tanana Valley ClinicAllergy & Asthma department. Dr. Bonitatibus has comprehensive experience treating both adults and children with asthma. He is dedicated to keeping his patients healthy and breathing comfortably.