It's August. Pity the poor ragweed allergy sufferers. For the next six to eight weeks, they'll bear the marks of red runny noses, itchy throats and ears, and watery eyes, says Dr. John Weiler, professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Only an early frost will guarantee permanent relief from the bumper crop of Iowa ragweed, but few Iowans are desperate enough to wish for an early winter.

Ragweed comes in two varieties, tall and short, and both release pollen into the air at sunrise, says Weiler, also a staff physician at UI Hospitals and Clinics. Ragweed plants throw more than 250,000 tons of pollen grains into the air. The pollen blows in the eastern and central United States, making August and early September miserable for many people. Most television weather forecasters report pollen and mold counts during ragweed season. "You can listen to the count to explain why you are so uncomfortable," says Weiler.

A pollen count up to 200 grains per day per cubic meter is called the Comfort Zone. Most ragweed allergy-prone people will be comfortable and free of allergy symptoms. The Discomfort Zone is triggered when pollen counts rise from 200 to 1,000 grains of pollen, and most ragweed allergy sufferers will probably have ragweed allergy symptoms. A pollen count of more than 1,000 signals the Severe Discomfort Zone, when most ragweed allergy sufferers will probably have more severe symptoms. Even people who usually don't have symptoms when the count is in the Discomfort Zone will have them now.

"Actual exposure to ragweed pollen will determine the severity of symptoms a person will have during ragweed season. Even with a low count, a farmer may be exposed to more pollen and have more severe symptoms than an office worker who stays indoors during the height of the pollen season," Weiler says.

"The pollen in the air triggers the body's immune system. When pollen is inhaled, it attaches to a group of antibodies called IgE. These antibodies are attached themselves to cells that release histamine and other substances into the respiratory tissues. That's when the wheezing and sneezing starts," Weiler says. If you have asthma, and you inhale the airborne pollen, you may start coughing, wheezing, and be short of breath.

"If you're allergic to ragweed, stay indoors in air-conditioned areas, especially during morning hours. This will reduce your symptoms," Weiler says. "The safest times to go outside are after a rainfall or in the afternoon or evening."

If the symptoms are too irritating and making your life miserable, your doctor may be able to prescribe a medication to relieve the symptoms without causing side effects such as drowsiness.

For more information, contact your physician.

Division of Allergy and Pulmonary

Division of Immunology