Pollen allergies are making a comeback this April, with more and more people affected across the world. With nearly 20% of the French population affectedit is crucial to understand the causes, symptoms and available prevention and treatment measures.
As a reminder, a pollen allergy, also known as hay fever, is a reaction of the immune system to pollen particles inhaled or coming into contact with the eyes. These allergic reactions usually occur during plant pollination seasonfrom February to October, depending on the types of pollen present in the air.
Symptoms can vary in severity from person to person, but they usually include sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, red and irritated eyes, and a scratchy throat. What are ways to effectively prevent and treat its symptoms?
Allergy prevention and treatment
Preventing pollen allergies often involves simple but effective measures, such as monitor pollen levels in your area using specialized sites or dedicated applications. The national aerobiological monitoring network site pollens.fr allows you, for example, to see what pollens are in the air.
Antihistamines are often effective in relieving symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose. If the antihistamine does not provide enough relief – this actually happens when the pollen count is very high or when the pollination time is long as currently – we can also resort to a nasal corticosteroid, which is more powerful, it helps to reduce the inflammation and nasal congestion.
Natural remedies
In addition to traditional medical treatments, some natural remedies may also be helpful in relieving pollen allergy symptoms. For exampletarragon, thyme and true lavender essential oil are known for their anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Against the “fountain nose”, the Pasteur Institute of Lille recommends nettle as an ideal solution. An infusion of elderberry and cider vinegar are also recommended. Finally, extracts butterbur leaves available in the form of capsules have positive effects in cases of pollen allergy.
Good practices
Simple gestures, such as rinse your nose regularly with physiological serum, avoid outdoor activities in windy weather and washing hair before bed to eliminate pollen, can help reduce the impact of pollen allergies on daily life.
When you are outside, you can also wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from pollen and avoid rubbing your eyes, which can make symptoms worse. Likewise, use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter can reduce the amount of pollen in your home. It is also advisable to do not dry laundry outside during the pollination season and to keep the windows closed as much as possible to keep pollen out.
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