Spring — what a great time of the year, but for the 35 million Americans who have seasonal allergies, it is not their favorite. Rising pollen counts in the spring can bring on bothersome allergy symptoms such as: itchiness, watery eyes, redness, swelling and sneezing.

Pollen counts have recently been on the rise for poplar, cottonwood, aspen, juniper and elm trees, causing not only annoying symptoms, but for many people interference with their ability to work, perform at school, or even sleep. Many allergy sufferers want to know the daily pollen count so they can plan accordingly in terms of activities and medications, etc. The problem is that there are very few pollen counting stations in Colorado, both in Denver and Colorado Springs. Many pollen counts available on the internet are actually pollen forecasts. Forecasting involves having accurate counts from previous years at the involved site and taking into account meteorological data to provide a idea of what pollen levels could be like at any particular place and point in time.

Actual pollen counts are typically done with an instrument such as the Rotorod Sampler. The Rotorod Sampler uses small adhesive coated rods that spin through the air so that the particles in that air stick to the rod. At the end of 24 hours, the particles are identified under a microscope and the concentration of particles per cubic meter of air is calculated. With this method, it tells us about pollens at that particular spot over the previous 24 hours. So whereas pollen counting can give us a general idea of the types of things that are blooming, it does not always provide an accurate measurement for your exact area. Therefore, it is best for allergy sufferers to stay on their medications throughout the allergy season, rather than rely heavily on pollen count information. If you or someone you know has problems with allergies tell your doctor. Allergy testing can help determine the cause of your allergies and the doctor can work with you to improve your symptoms.