Hay fever sufferers across the UK have been advised of the steps they can take to limit the allergy’s impact, with pollen levels set to rise. From Wednesday, the UK is set to see temperatures rise to 27C, peaking at 29C on Friday, news that will be welcomed by many across the country.
But for hay fever sufferers, the increased temperatures look set to bring high levels of pollen, with three areas predicted to have ‘very high’ levels on Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday and Friday, the North West, the West Midlands and London and South East England will have ‘very high’ levels of pollen, with the remainder of the country set for ‘high’ levels, according to the Met Office. The agency has issued advice to sufferers to limit the impacts of the allergy, which can be debilitating for those severely allergic to pollen.
They said: “The most effective way to prevent hay fever is to avoid exposure to pollen, but this is almost impossible, particularly during the summer months.
“Instead, many people rely on antihistamines, which can prevent the allergic reaction from happening, and corticosteroids, which reduce any inflammation and swelling caused by the pollen allergy. Eye drops can also help.”
They also add that three things can cause the most severe reaction – pollen from Grass, trees and weeds.
According to the Met Office, the “pollen count” is “literally the amount of pollen per cubic metre observed over 24 hours.
“It is sometimes used interchangeably with the term ‘pollen forecast’, but the pollen count is used, along with what the weather is up to, to forecast pollen levels over the coming days.
“The ‘forecast’ is actually a forecast of the risk of the level of pollen over the coming days.”
They note, however, that their definition of a “high” pollen count does not mean that people will be affected in the same way, as “different people have different tolerance to different pollen types and counts, so some will be more sensitive than others.”
Hay fever is a common allergy that causes sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes when ion contact with pollen and it currently has no cure.
There are around 30 different types of pollen that cause hay fever and it is possible to be allergic to more than one type.
Weather often affects how pollen is spread around, with breezy conditions allowing it to be blown and rainy conditions allowing it to be cleared from the air.
On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in the early evening and that’s when you are most likely to suffer from hay fever symptoms.