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Doctors seeing increase in allergy cases

Changes in the weather are causing more pollen-producing plants to bloom earlier and last longer.

NEW ORLEANS - Demetria Jordan is a nurse, but don't let the uniform fool you. She is a patient dealing with a long list of allergies.

"I am allergic to wool, horses, bees, trees, dust, grass," said Jordan.

Jordan is also allergic to pollen which means, if she doesn't take medicine, she'll have a problem going outside, especially on a day like Tuesday when pollen levels were high.

"What we are seeing are tree pollen and grass pollen,” said Dr. Sanjay Kamboj with LSU Health.

“People are coming to us with complaints of nasal congestion, running nose, blocked nose and some of them can't breathe if they have underlying asthma."

Dr. Kamboj says the allergy office has never been busier.

"There are some theories behind that. The global warming theory, because of the warming weather, there is more production and longer productions of the pollen."

We also had a cooler than normal April but experts say, in general, the rising temperatures from climate change and more carbon dioxide in the air are causing many pollen-producing plants to bloom earlier and last longer prolonging the allergy season.

There is another theory, according to Dr. Kamboj. It's called the hygiene theory. It means there are more people dealing with allergies because, over the years, children have been exposed to fewer infectious agents preventing them from building up a tolerance.

Jordan did eventually find allergy relief. She was prescribed two different kinds of pills daily and does her best to stay away from anything that she is particularly allergic to.

"It can be challenging at times, but with proper maintenance, you can live a successful and healthy life."

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