What is pollen count
A person with hay fever will normally find that their symptoms worsen when the pollen count is high, and are less in evidence when the count is low. The pollen count is based on the approximate number of pollen grains present in each cubic metre of air, and symptoms are generally produced when the pollen count is over 50. However, some people display symptoms when the pollen count is around 20 grains per cubic metre, whereas others only display them when the count is as high as 100. This is because the body chemistry of every person with hay fever is unique and everyone will have differing levels of sensitivity. Note that during June, the peak pollen time, the pollen count can be as high as 200, which is obviously a great problem for anyone with hay fever.
What affects the pollen count?
The amount of pollen circulating in the air is dependent, first of all, on the weather at the time. For instance, on days that are cloudy, rainy or windless, pollen is less able to move about and so fewer people are troubled with hay fever symptoms. On the other hand, hot, cloudless, dry and windy weather signals more pollen distribution and so allergy symptoms are increased. The amount of pollen in the air during any given season can vary enormously, depending upon variations in temperature and rainfall. These factors may also affect the pollen count from year to year, for as we know only too well in the UK, spring and summer can be surprisingly cloudy and wet, and with the effects of global warming this type of weather may be on the increase.
Would it help to move?
People often think that moving to live in another area, where there are different plants, might reduce their symptoms – but this is not usually the case. As a treatment of hay fever, relocating is not recommended for the following reasons:
• The main allergenic grasses and moulds are present in most plant zones.
• Virtually identical symptoms are likely to be triggered by plants that may look different from the ones you left behind, but are actually related.
• There may be additional allergens from different plants in the new locality and within two years you may find yourself with further allergies.
Instead of moving to a different location in an attempt to lessen your symptoms, it is recommended that you seek the appropriate medical advice and treatment.
The pollen forecast
The pollen forecast is a free service to the public, compiled by aero-allergen counters at some universities, clinics and medical centres. Television, radio and newspaper weather forecasts often give the expected daily pollen count, and it can also be found on many websites.
Unfortunately, interpreting the pollen and mould counts – assessing the symptoms expected from a particular reading with some degree of accuracy – is not easy for the layperson. It doesn’t help that the air sampling equipment used and its location may affect the reading. Moreover, pollen counts can vary enormously from day to day, yet we tend to believe that the readings used are a good indicator. In truth, they are taken between one and three days beforehand and are only a very rough gauge of what might be to come. In short, as a predictor of symptom severity, pollen and mould counts have severe limitations.
It should also be mentioned that hay fever symptoms are likely to temporarily worsen after exposure to another allergen, such as pet dander or a chemical detergent. The timescale of the exposure is also of significance.