If you are coughing and sneezing more than previous summers: you are not alone. Richmonders are feeling the effects of summer heat and worsening allergies.

On the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2023 list of most challenging places to live with pollen allergies, Richmond ranked 23rd. Yet, this is an improvement from Richmond’s ranking in the top 10 six out of the last 10 years, according to various news reports.

It doesn’t feel that way to Richmonder Antoinette Rogers, who says her “allergies first seemed to develop as springtime allergies, but as [she has] gotten older they seem like they last year-round and they have become more intense.”

There is a reason for this. Dr. Darshana Alle, an allergist at AllerVie Health, explained that “high pollen seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer in Richmond.” The result is that common seasonal allergies can last from the spring to late summer months.

Researchers found that about 50% of the increase in pollen seasons and about 8% of the increase in pollen concentrations can be attributed to intensifying climate change. These impacts, such as hotter average temperatures and increased atmospheric carbon di- oxide, are extending plants’ growing season. As warmer winters take hold plants will produce pollen sooner and longer, increasing the risk of exposure to allergens.

Additionally, extreme weather events, such as recent heat waves, can “increase the risk of indoor mold, thus posing a risk for patients suffering from underlying environmental allergies and asthma.”

Although there is no cure for allergies, there are ways to manage and prevent common symptoms (congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.) by keeping windows closed, changing clothes when entering the house, and keeping your house clean, especially if pollen has gotten inside, suggests the Allergy Foundation of America.

Also allergy sufferers can take allergy medicine, rinse their noses frequently, or even discuss immunotherapy options with their doctor.

Dr. Rogers, a program director for the Delta Research and Educational Foundation, shares her own techniques for coping with her allergies.

“I drink lots of water and take Claritin and Nasonex, as needed,” she said. “I also keep cough drops on hand, as the postnasal drip causes coughing.”