Hay fever sufferers suffer more in Eugene
By Lori Steinhauer
Of the Emerald
As spring buds bloom to flowers,
Eugene becomes an Earthly purgatory
more spiteful for hay fever sufferers
than nearly anywhere else in the
nation.
Eugene has one of the highest con
centrations of grass pollen in the coun
try because of its valley location and the
many nearby grassfields, says Dr.
Richard Buck, allergy and asthma physi
cian at the Student Health Center.
And because allergies are most pro
mpted during the early teen to young
adult years, the University population is
a target for allergies, Buck says.
While genetic susceptibility runs
about 10 to 20 percent, Buck says
allergic reactions develop most com
monly among college-aged students, 15
to 20 percent of whom suffer from
allergy symptoms.
University students who have family
histories of allergy trouble may have
never suffered from allergies
themselves until moving to Eugene,
where they may likely develop reac
tions to the high levels of grass pollens,
Buck says.
In Eugene, grass pollens are the most
widespread allergy culprits, though
other pollens such as animal hair, dust
and other debris cause allergies, too.
Airborne pollens are drawn from the
grassfields north of Eugene and then
trapped into the southern Willamette
Valley, where they linger from mid
spring to mid-summer, Buck says.
But pollen allergies come and go
depending on "how much sunshine
comes between the raindrops," Buck
says. "If we get a long dry period,
pollen will come out."
Common symptoms of allergy suf
ferers are coughing, wheezing, runny
noses and itchy eyes. Though some
relief is available for allergy victims, the
approach that Buck recommends is
allergy-prevention. Allergy symptoms
can be reduced by wearing face masks
and glasses, and keeping windows clos
ed during the airborne pollen season,
he says.
If prevention doesn't help the
allergies, medical attention has it's
possibilities. Over-the-counter an
tihistamines such as Chlor Trimeton
and prescription nose sprays are two
symptom reducers. However, Buck
does not recommend that people use
over-the-counter nose sprays to cure
their allergies.
"For people who have a lot of symp
toms we have used allergy injections to
make people less sensitive to the
pollens," Buck says. However, the in
jection method is a long-term process
which must begin before the season
hits. Shots of the allergenic substance
are given in increasing doses, beginn
ing with trace amounts.
Eugene is one of the worst places in
the nation for hay fever sufferers.
Experts don't agree over effectiveness of bee pollen
While health food sup
porters claim it's a sweet way
to get rid of your allergy, doc
tors say you're merely being
stung for the price.
Bee pollen, say a number of
natural foods authorities, pro
vides natural goodness in
nutrition and allergy
prevention.
But according to local cer
tified allergists, bee pollen
may be a waste of money and
ingestion can be harmful.
In extreme cases, people
have died from allergic reac
tions after eating pollen, says
Dr. Richard Buck, allergy and
asthma physician at the Stu
dent Health Center.
The majority of reactions,
however, resemble mild to
severe hay fever symptoms.
Bee pollen retails for about
$8 to $10 per pound and for
around $3 to $6 for a 100-count
jar of 500 milligram tablets. It is
"good food," according to Bill
Boslaugh, sales manager of
Greybee Honey and Beekeep
ing Supply store
“It's high in vitamins, high in
minerals and high in trace
minerals," Boslaugh says.
Local pollens can be eaten to
cure local allergies, he says.
But like anything, too much
can be dangerous.
"For curing allergies, anyone
who takes pollen should do it
under the guidance of a physi
cian," Boslaugh warns.
Honey Heaven owner
Eugene Scott agrees that bee
pollen is high in nutritional
content and says it also pro
vides digestive-aiding en
zymes.
"I've seen it help a lot of
people dramatically," says
Scott. "I've seen people who
within hours have had an im
provement on their ability to
breath." But pollen should be
tested first in trace amounts to
prevent any excessive allergic
reactions, he adds.
But local clinical ecologist
Dr. John Gambee has a dif
ferent approach to allergies.
Gambee recommends preven
tion through a balanced diet,
regular exercise, plenty of rest
and avoidance of caffeine and
other drugs.
"If your health is better,
then your allergies are going
to be less of a problem,"
Gambee says.
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