ST. LOUIS – Piles of snow continue to melt, leaving behind a muddy mess. One allergist says there is always the concern for mold whenever there’s moisture.
“The snow is finally melting here after a few weeks, and when that dampness comes, that’s the area where mold can grow. Now we’ve gotten a little bit of a rain shower too, so you put that on top, and I think conditions outside are certainly where mold may develop,” Dr. Hassan Ahmad from St. Luke’s Hospital said.
While the summer and fall months are more common months for mold, the snowmelt is a recipe for some mold exposure outdoors this winter.
“Mold can come within a few days, and then it may take a few days of exposure to develop any symptoms, so I think certainly the phones may start ringing within the next few weeks,” he added. “Then by the time that kind of blows over, you know, it might start getting warmer, and then maybe the trees might start blooming.”
This could result in an earlier onset of the more typical spring allergies that ramp up as trees start blooming, usually sometime in March.
“If someone is also sensitive to mold, then if you’ve got mold outside during February, it may feel like it’s an early start to the season because that mold may have set them up,” Ahmad added.
Symptoms could go beyond nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy eyes, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest tightness.
If you’re feeling symptoms, you can try some basic over-the-counter nasal sprays or antihistamines. If those aren’t sufficient, it may be worth visiting an allergist for testing.
“Those over-the-counter medicines can work for a lot of people, but sometimes you need something a little bit stronger, a little bit individualized to that person, to try to get them feeling better,” Ahmad said.
Knowing exactly what you’re allergic to can be a big help in creating that plan because you may be surprised by what shows up on an allergy test.
If you’ve been struggling with this for a while or it gets worse in the coming weeks, then consider seeing an allergist to get some testing done or at least a consultation.