Pollen Counts and Allergies

Many people suffer from seasonal allergies, in which the severity of symptoms varies with the concentration of environmental allergens such as pollen. Current pollen counts and yearly pollen patterns are available from the Web site of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology’s National Allergy Bureau. Visit the site and locate the pollen information for the city closest to you. Check both today’s pollen count and the record over time for the area. Which types of pollen are at the highest concentrations in which months? If you have allergies, can you see a relationship between your pattern of symptoms and the seasonal pattern of pollen concentrations in your area?