The science of pollen: managing hay fever symptoms
Suffering from hay fever can really impact your day.
At least one in five people in the UK experience hay fever symptoms and about 95% of those are allergic to grass pollen. The pollen season can run from as early as January to as late as October.
There are three types of pollen - tree, grass and weed. Most people are allergic to just one type but some are sensitive to all three.
What is pollen?
Pollen is a very fine powder produced by the male parts of trees, flowers, grasses, and weeds to fertilize other plants of the same species. Many people have an adverse immune response when they breathe in pollen.
The immune system normally defends the body against harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, to ward off illnesses.
Some peoples immune system mistakenly identify harmless pollen as a threat to the body and tries to fight it by releasing a chemical. We call this an allergic reaction, which can lead to a number of irritating symptoms such as:
sneezing
stuffy nose
watery eyes
When is pollen released?
Most pollen is released during the morning. As the air heats up, pollen is carried higher into the atmosphere. In the evening it sinks back t
o the surface as air cools again. So there are two points in a day where pollen is at its strongest.
How does the weather affect pollen?
Aside from the species of pollen the weather plays a big role in how eye watering your day can be. If pollen is released in the morning and there is some very fine rain and drizzle, the pollen may get suspended, making your hay fever worse all day. If it is a windy day, pollen will be dispersed more easily and it may be a more comfortable day for hay fever sufferers. On the plus side, in heavy rain the pollen can get washed away.
Interestingly thunderstorms can also impact the severity of a person's response to pollen. There is ongoing research into the idea that that thunderstorms can cause pollen particles to explode, generating a more extreme response from those that suffer from hay fever or have respiratory issues.
What are the top tips for managing hay fever symptoms?
There are some really helpful tips when it comes to avoiding aggravating hay fever symptoms.
Don’t hang your clothes out in the morning when pollen is released and if you are prone to hay fever, be aware that during an early evening walk any airborne pollen will be sinking back to the surface, so this might be a time to avoid.
If you have been out all day, consider washing your clothes and hair in the evening as there will likely be tiny pollen particles stuck to you which can make the symptoms of hay fever worse all day.
And remember if your furry friend suffers from hay fever, remember to wipe down its paws after a walk.
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