The suffering of the Pollenallerie begins

Flight of birch pollen has begun

08/10/2014

The time of suffering for people with a pollen allergy goes into the next round. Although the flight of hazel and alder pollen has already declined significantly again, according to the German Weather Service, the first birch pollen is already in the air, especially in southern Germany. The latter cause significant problems for many people with allergies.

After the mild winter, the pollen season has started very early this year, but the cold phase of recent weeks led to a substantial normalization of pollen. Thus, the birch pollen flight beginning in April is not uncommon. For many allergic people, this still creates an unpleasant surprise. They suffer from increased hay fever symptoms such as watery eyes, itchy eyes, sneezing attacks, constantly running nose and coughing. For about a month, the birch pollen will continue to fly, with a significant increase in birch pollen count in the coming days given the predicted warmer weather conditions. As a result, the alder pollen will also increase in some regions such as Berlin before its heyday is over.

Reinforced birch pollen in the coming days
According to the German Weather Service and the German Pollen Information Foundation (PID), more than 15 percent of the population in Germany suffer from pollen allergy, which in the long run may at worst be associated with the development of asthma. The severity of hay fever symptoms is directly related to the concentration of pollen in the air. Accordingly, with the increasing concentration of birch pollen in the air, the symptoms of allergies will increase. Currently, the pollen calendar of the German Weather Service recorded only in southern Germany first birch pollen in the air. But in the coming days, the birch blooms are expected to start in the northern states too. Only Schleswig-Holstein, as the most northerly federal state, initially still has a little rest from the birch pollen.

Especially many birch pollen in Berlin?
One of the nationwide focal points of the birch pollen flight is likely to be Berlin, so the assessment of the meteorologist Thomas Dümmel from the Pollen Information Service of the Free University of Berlin to the news agency „dpa“. „Because there are many birches there as street trees“, reports the meteorologist. In addition, birch trees would also spread rapidly as pioneer trees on fallow land or old railroad sites. For about 25 to 30 days, the birch blossom and thus the symptoms of allergy suffer. Following this, however, after a short breather already follows the pollen of the grasses and other potential alergiauslöser. Only with the end of the Ambrosia pollen flight in October, the annual suffering for the allergy sufferers is over again. (Fp)