Do you want a sneeze-free summer? Then read on quickly, because Mieke Koenders, hay fever expert and clinical chemistry laboratory specialist at the Elkerliek hospital, gives a number of tips that you may not have tried yet.
Hay fever is a pollen allergy that affects millions of people every year. It’s how sensitive you are to pollen. If you are very sensitive, your immune system reacts to it. This allergic reaction causes symptoms such as watery eyes, sneezing and itching. Most people are allergic to wind-pollinated pollen from trees and grasses such as birch, alder, hazel and grass pollen. That is why most hay fever complaints occur in the spring and summer months. The substances that cause hay fever, the allergens, then end up on the nasal or airway mucosa, after which an inflammatory reaction occurs.
What myths about hay fever are going around?
There are stories circulating that various alternative remedies and tricks would help to avoid hay fever symptoms. A lot of kissing would help, but unfortunately this turns out to be a myth. Furthermore, it is sometimes discussed medical taping, or eating local honey. Koenders does not want to make a statement about whether or not these drugs can work, but emphasizes: “These alternative drugs have not been scientifically proven. It is up to everyone’s own judgment whether they benefit from it or not.”
The name ‘hay fever’, on the other hand, is clearly a misunderstanding. “Despite the name suggesting otherwise, there is no fever in hay fever,” the expert explains. “The fact that it is called that is because the complaints you experience resemble those of a fever. The link with hay used to be made because the complaints always started in the period when hay was harvested.” Koenders himself is a proponent of the term pollen allergy.
You didn’t know this about hay fever
Certain pollen allergens are very similar to food proteins. “Our immune system sees no difference between these proteins and reacts with an allergic reaction,” says Koenders. “A very well-known example is the cross-reaction between birch and apple. When eating an apple, patients who are allergic to birch pollen can experience complaints, such as tingling and/or swelling in (the vicinity of) the mouth.”
When the foods are heated, the protein structure breaks down, so that the protein is no longer recognized by the immune system and therefore does not cause those annoying complaints. “It is sometimes difficult for parents to understand that their child with a birch pollen allergy does not want to eat the ‘healthy’ raw apple, but does like the ‘unhealthy’ applesauce or apple pie. But that can be explained.”
Did you know that hay fever is partly hereditary and that some people only get it later in life? You can read how that works here.
Hay fever symptoms usually start right after you’re exposed to the allergens. The following complaints can arise during the hay fever season:
- Running nose
- Stuffy nose
- niesbuien
- Itchy eyes
- Burning sensation in nose, eyes and throat
- Tears
- Fatigue
- Decreased concentration
- Sleep worse
- Toothache
The symptoms of hay fever can really put a damper on your summer, but luckily you can do something yourself to reduce the complaints. Experiment and see what works for you. The tips below are very useful, but may not be new to you. At the end of this article, hay fever expert Mieke Koenders gives some more surprising tips.
- Find out which pollen you are most allergic to. This way you can keep an eye on when they are in the air and take the right precautions. You then know when to take medication, put on your sunglasses, or avoid roads with, for example, flowering birch trees.
- Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible. Do you want to air your house? Then do that in the morning (and not in the evening) or after a rain shower. And prevent drafts in the house. When you let the wind rush through your house, you also automatically invite pollen.
- Preferably plan outdoor activities early in the morning, because then the amount of pollen is still fairly limited.
- Wear (closed) sunglasses or sports glasses outside to protect your eyes against pollen.
- Dry the clean laundry indoors, so that less pollen ends up on it.
- Sea air contains little pollen, so go to the beach for a day to relieve the complaints.
- Try to vacuum your house more often, so that the pollen spreads less well.
- Drink as little alcohol as possible. About half of patients with respiratory allergies experience an increase in symptoms when drinking alcohol.
- You can treat hay fever with (a combination of) nasal spray, eye drops and antihistamines (tablets against allergies). Consult your doctor for this and use this medication at the right time.
- Weather conditions have a great influence on the pollen pressure. In addition to temperature, rain, humidity, wind direction and wind speed also play a role in determining the amount of pollen in the air. Therefore, be well prepared and look up for a multi-day forecast www.pollennieuws.nl.
Specific tips from hay fever expert Mieke Koenders
“Slap some Vaseline around your nose,” is her best advice. “This is where the pollen hangs, so they don’t get into your nose.” According to Koenders, this trick is still known to few people, but it works very well. “And if you have been outside for a day, rinse your hair in the shower in the evening. This way, the pollen that is stuck in your hair does not fall on your pillow, which would cause a lot of sneezing.” We say: worth a try. Otherwise you can always hope to grow out of it.
If it is not possible to control the complaints with medication and the above tips, it is good to contact the doctor (again). You should not underestimate hay fever. Even if the complaints are not very serious, it can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Therefore, dare to ring the bell. “Perhaps there are heavier or different prescription drugs available that are helpful,” says Koenders. There is also an allergy immunotherapy. This is a treatment in which the body is exposed to what you are allergic to. This can be done with the help of injections or with daily melting tablets.
Moreover, the longer you wait to treat, the more difficult it becomes to control the complaints. By starting on time, your body’s defense against the pollen is better, so you have a less intense reaction.
Dr. Rutger also shares some practical tips to reduce the symptoms of hay fever:
Bron: Each one, MMC, Healthline
2023-06-09 13:47:06
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