Pollen flight instead of snowflakes Hayfever for Christmas

Pollen flight during the Christmas season
The unusually mild weather means that some plants are already drifting with flowers, which may cause allergic people the first symptoms of hay fever at Christmas. According to the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB), the first hazelnut pollen is already in the air. Many hay fever patients therefore currently show symptoms such as sneezing, difficulty breathing and coughing, behind which a common cold is often suspected, explains the DAAB spokeswoman Sonja Lämmle.

Due to the warm weather hazelnut pollen in the air can be found in parts of Germany such as in the Rhineland, in large parts of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in the Saarland and in parts of Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition, regionally also pollen fly, which are not measured or not evaluated, reports the DAAB. These are, for example, the pollen of trees such as the purpuria, which are better adapted to climate change and therefore like to be set as street trees. If the mild weather persists, a significant increase in pollen pollution is to be expected.

Confusion with cold symptoms
The spokeswoman for the German Allergy and Asthma Association, Sonja Lämmel, explains that many people who have hay fever suspect a cold in the first place because of their symptoms and therefore many a "new allergic patient" is treating hay fever just in the wrong way. For example, it is inhaled with chamomile to clear the nose, or used to decongestant nasal sprays. Viewed from an allergological point of view, those affected "drive the devil with the Beelzebub", emphasizes Sonja Lämmle.

Nasal douches relieve the symptoms
Show the hay fever symptoms, according to the expert can provide anti-allergic preparations relief. A causal treatment of pollen allergy is possible with the so-called hyposensitization. At the beginning of the pollen-free period, the hay fever patients are supplied with the pollen components to which they otherwise react in very small doses in order to get their body used to it and thus make it permanently insensitive to the allergens, reports the DAAB. Also, the nasal shower can help as a home remedy for hay fever complaints. Daily flushing of the nasal passages with water and brine would transport pollen and debris out and relieve symptoms. In addition, the nasal mucosa in its structure and function is normalized again, which also act preventively.

The AOK mentions in a recent release about the Christmas pollen load further tricks that can help with the occurrence of hay fever symptoms. For example, sufferers should "reduce outdoor exposure, vacuum daily to reduce pollen buildup, wash hair at bedtime, and store clothes in the bathroom," to keep the bedroom largely pollen free, AOK reports. (Fp)