The ten most important tips for countering hay fever (pollen allergy)
Pollen allergies (hay fever) are widespread. The symptoms drive sufferers to despair at times. However, with the right medication and targeted preventive measures, you can protect yourself against the irritating pollen.
Most people with a pollen allergy experience their most difficult times with hay fever during the birch tree and grass blooming periods. Birch trees mainly bloom in April and May, while grass primarily blooms in May and June. The symptoms of sufferers range from slight itching in their eyes and nose to a general feeling of being ill or even asthma attacks. To ensure that it doesn’t come to this, people with a pollen allergy should prepare themselves for tackling hay fever in good time.
You can prevent hay fever with these ten tips
In order to fight your hay fever symptoms or alleviate existing symptoms arising from your pollen allergy, you should follow the tips below:
- Install pollen screens on your windows. Only air your rooms briefly and primarily when it is raining (but only around 10 minutes after the rain begins, as pollen is swirled up when the rain starts to fall).
- Special pollen filters that prevent hay fever are available for cars.
- During the day, keep an air purifier running in your bedroom.
- Wear sunglasses. These will not only protect your eyes from the sun’s rays, but also from pollen.
- Limit your sporting endeavours to indoor activities or take antihistamines to tackle your allergy at least one hour before taking part in sport outdoors.
- Avoid foods with high histamine levels such as red wine, tomatoes, matured cheeses or smoked meats. These can further intensify the symptoms of a pollen allergy.
- Avoid foods that trigger a cross-reaction.
- Wash your hair before you go to bed. If you don't have time: wipe a damp flannel over your hair.
- In the evening, wash your eyelids with a wet piece of cotton wool and do a nasal douche.
- Remove clothes that you have worn during the day from your bedroom.
Pollen allergy? You can find information about the current pollen count here
- The MeteoSwiss website contains a Swiss map that shows daily developments in the blooming intensity of aggressive pollen types in all regions of the country. Extremely practical.
- The Allergy Center Switzerland (aha!) shows the total daily pollen count in Switzerland on the basis of a simplified graphic and a text forecast.
- Subscribe to the aha! newsletter and download the «Pollen-News» app. It contains the latest information on the pollen count and a great deal of practical information relating to pollen allergies (hay fever).
How to treat your pollen allergy
Should you suffer from severe hay fever symptoms despite taking all preventive measures, have your specialist prescribe you medication such as antihistamines or cortisone. Therapies from the area of complementary medicine such as acupuncture can also alleviate pollen allergy symptoms. The best therapies for countering hay fever vary from person to person. This also applies to desensitisation. As part of this immunotherapy, the body is slowly accustomed to the disease-triggering pollen. This, however, requires time and a great deal of patience.
