Find out why you start sneezing when springtime arrives

The nice weather has started, the days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising and we’re starting to wear lighter clothing. This is exactly when the non-stop sneezing starts, your eyes start watering and itching, your nose runs and you feel as though you are developing a cold.

What’s happening?

You may be suffering from hay fever.

There are similarities to a cold but the differences are clear:

The mucous is clean and you do not have a high temperature or general aching or a sore throat or a cough. It doesn’t last as long but you have frequent recurrences. You probably feel worse in the morning and get better as the day goes on, but in the evening you get stuffed up again.

Hay fever affects 10-15% of the population. These people are extra sensitive to pollen levels in the air.

The allergy process is as follows;

Allergens, substances that produce the allergy, come into contact with a hypersensitive person for the first time and the person’s body reacts by creating antibodies. When this happens again, the antibodies swing into action and release histamine and other inflammatory mediators that cause the allergic symptoms.

In springtime, the most abundant allergen is pollen from plants, for example grasses, olives, bananas, chenopodiacae, nettles, psyllium, sorrel, rosemary, wheat etc.

House dust is also an issue when spring is drier and warmer. Dust floats around in the atmosphere and becomes the second most common cause of allergies at this time of year.

What are the most common symptoms?

• Itchy eyes and nose
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Blocked up nose
• Asthma, shortness of breathe

What can you do to relieve allergic symptoms?

1. Identify the allergy. Your doctor will be able to do this with some simple tests.
2. Avoid airing the house first thing in the morning. Pollen levels peak at between 5 and 10 am. Keep the windows closed at these times. Open the windows at midday and don’t leave them open all night. If you want to keep your bedroom cool, use an air conditioning unit.
3. Keep the car windows closed.
4. Avoid outdoor sports when the pollen count is high. This tends to be on dry, windy days.
5. Avoid going outside before a storm. Pollen moves about in dry air. Wait until it has rained and then take advantage of the conditions. The air will be cleaning.
6. Dry, murky air in big cities contain a lot of allergens and is more polluted. Spend time in the countryside whenever you can.
7. Dust your home with moist cloths and don’t move the dust around from place to place without removing it. Use a vacuum cleaner and mop. Don’t sweep with a broom.
8. Avoid the garden when the grass has just been cut.
9. Avoid walking in parks and gardens early in the morning and on windy and sunny days.
10. Wear sunglasses when you go outside. This will help you avoid watering eyes.
11. Keep the atmosphere moist in your house, particularly in the bedroom.
12. Take all the medicines prescribed by your doctor and don’t stop taking the treatment before finishing. The symptoms will come back if you are not protected.

Look up the pollen count in your area before you go out for greater certainty and be patient. The pollen count will be down again within a few weeks and you'll be back to normal.

This post is also available in: Spanish