No reprieve for Eugene allergy sufferers. Seasons are getting longer

Dr. Kraig Jacobson was among the first allergists in the country to use a sampling device that catches pollen and counts it under a microscope. He would post the results in his Eugene clinic’s waiting room. 

That was back in 1979. In the four decades since, he’s watched a lot change.

The internet arrived, and his practice moved the counts online. The air sampler got more sophisticated. And allergy seasons became longer.

“Our valley, where we have plenty of moisture for the sprout, particularly this year, we have seen a much greater impact with climate change,” said Jacobson, a founder of Oregon Allergy Associates, which posts pollen counts daily. “The warmth, increased temperatures, and increased days during the pollinating season.”

Thirty-nine more days in Eugene to be exact, according to a national report by research group Climate Central. Their scientists analyzed temperature data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the report. 

Why us? 

The Climate Central March report named Eugene among the places with the most dramatic shift in a growing allergy season. The reason, in part, is similar to why Eugene and Springfield are considered top cities for air pollution in the United States. The area’s bowl-like valley, surrounded by hills and forests, traps anything drifting from the sky. 

So as trees and grasses pollinate through the wind, residents are left to cough, sneeze, and suffer. 

Whether tree pollen or grass pollen is worse for allergies depends on the individual, Jacobson said. 

Many people start to feel sick when tufts from cottonwood trees drift through the air like snow in early June. Some blame them — but that’s mostly fluff, literally. These visible seed hairs come after the pollination process. 

By then, it’s grass season, and Eugene and Springfield have plenty of it. In addition to what grows naturally, Oregon produces nearly all of the ryegrass seed used for lawns across the United States. Most of it is grown here, in the Willamette Valley.

“The most bothersome to most people, the number one thing is grass,” Jacobson said. “We have the highest grass pollen counts of anywhere in the country.” 

In recent years, grass pollen counts have been off the charts in recent years. The Oregon Allergy Association rates grass pollen from 0 (low) to over 200 (very high). In 2023, the count hit 1,300 for the first time.

It’s so extreme, it has even set back Olympians — athletes trained to adapt their bodies to nearly any condition in pursuit of performance. Jacobson has consulted during the Olympic trials, the NCAA championships, and the Prefontaine Classic, all of which align with the height of grass pollination season, May through July. 

Seeking relief

A common remedy is over-the-counter medication such as antihistamines, decongestants and corticosteroid nasal sprays, according to the University of Oregon’s guide to navigating seasonal allergies. People also turn to simple strategies like showering after being outdoors, wearing a mask, and keeping their homes allergen-free through cleaning.

For those who need stronger relief, they can ask about allergy shots or other treatments from clinics like the one Jacobson runs.

“It keeps you very busy,” he said.