Feel Like Your Nose Is on Fire? That's Because the Willamette Valley Has Pollen Counts Nearly Four Times What Is Considered "Very High"

Have you been suffering from a raw nose? Can't catch a breath between sneezes? Feel an intense desire to stay the hell inside?

It's because pollen counts in the meadows stretching south from Portland are at an all-time high.

Grass pollen counts in the Willamette Valley are among the highest in the world—and are breaking record levels measured four years ago.

As reported by KLCC, in the past few days, Eugene's Oregon Allergy Associates have measured pollen counts above 750 parts per cubic meter. Anything above 200 is considered "very high." According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, levels over 200 are in the 99th percentile for counts around the country.

Last year, Pollen.com named Eugene the worst city for allergies in the nation.

In 2013, Eugene pollen counts jumped up to 694, prompting a doctor from the Oregon Allergy Associates to deem Eugene as the place with the "highest grass pollen counts in the world. "That will easily be higher than any count in the country—really, in the world," he said.

Though pollen counts in Oregon are above much of the U.S., the city of Islamabad is actually the true allergy capital of the world. The city regularly sees pollen counts of 30,000.

And apparently, the rain isn't supposed to help either: When it rains, grass pollen is often just broken down into smaller pieces.

Anyway, here's some advice for combating pollen from Oregon Allergy Associates:

• Avoid the outdoors from 5-10 a.m., as pollen counts are generally higher during this time.
• Dry clothing in a clothes dryer rather than outside on a clothes line.
• Keep car windows up while driving.
• Avoid side-discharging lawn mowers used without a bag.