About Pollen | Pollen Allergy Guide

Pollen

Trees, grasses, and weeds are the prime sources of pollen, a fine, powderlike material that contains the male gametes, or plant sperm, the fertilizing element of plants. In order for certain plants to reproduce, pollen must be discharged into the air and transmitted. Pollens from trees and weeds are very light; a grain is one-fifth the width of a human hair, and pollen dust can travel many miles, even to the heart of a major urbanized city.

Ragweed and grasses are the most common and potent sources. A single ragweed plant can release a million pollen grains a day, particles so light they can be carried by the wind as far as 400 miles. Ragweed grows almost everywhere in the United States except along parts of the West Coast, the south­ernmost tip of Florida, and the northern tip of Maine. Since the plants are annuals, they can easily be eradicated if mowed well before they start shedding pollen.

WHAT YOU CAN DO. Most allergists don't recommend mov­ing away. Any area with green foliage has pollen, and chances are that you'll develop new allergies in your new location. Your best tactic is to stay at home during the peak of the pollen sea­son with closed windows and air conditioning that recirculates indoor air only.

If you're making plans for the day, check the weather fore­cast. Your best bet is to bypass dry, sunny, and windy days and look for fog, drizzle, and heavy rain, which help clear the air although mold spores may be higher right after a rain. Light rain can sometimes make matters worse by breaking clumps of pollen into tiny particles that stay airborne longer.

 Pollen levels above 1,500 grains per cubic millimeter are bad news. Remember, however, that by the time air samples have been collected, counted, and reported, they're at least twenty-four hours old.

Air pollution can make pollen allergies worse by decreasing lung function, which makes breathing more difficult, and by ir­ritating the lining of the respiratory tract. If there's a pollution alert in your area, close windows and stay indoors as much as possible.

An air conditioner will help by recirculating the "old" air in­stead of bringing in new air full of pollens and pollution. Levels of ozone, a harmful irritant in pollution, peak around noon, so if you must go outdoors, wait for evening.

As a general rule, people with pollen allergies shouldn't venture outside—especially on windy days—between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when most pollination is in full bloom. Ragweed pollen counts, however, reach their peak between 11 a.m. and 12 noon. Breathe through your nose—it's a natural air filter. Avoid bright sunlight as it puts extra strain on already irritated and watering eyes. Dark glasses can help, and you can remove pol­lens by rinsing your eyes with preservative-free artificial tears. Some daytime exercisers make a sport out of driving to shop­ping malls where they climb stairs and escalators and walk briskly past the tempting stores.

Pollen counts drop substantially by late afternoon, so that's the best time for walking and outdoor sports. Do your gardening in the evening, or assign yard work to someone else. Keep your lawn clipped, no higher than VA inches. A lawn that grows freely will go to seed and release pollen. If you're very sensitive, you may want to consider other ground covers, such as creeping thyme, instead of grass. One longtime sufferer replaced his entire lawn with a rock garden and decorative plants. Whatever you grow, water the soil regularly to keep down molds and dust.

If you must mow grass or rake leaves, wear a filter mask. An inexpensive one from the pharmacy or hardware store will do. Throw it away after each use, or pollens will collect on the out­side and cause problems when you try to reuse it. (Some doc­tors disapprove of face masks, saying they make breathing more difficult.)

Be alert to cross-reactions, which are common. If ragweed is a problem, don't bring ragweed-related flowers such as daisies, dahlias, and chrysanthemums into the house, and be wary of certain foods. Some ragweed-sensitive souls develop mouth and throat swelling after eating melons, zucchini, cucumber, sun­flower seeds, or sipping chamomile tea. Goldenseal, for in­stance, is a weed; if you're weed-sensitive, watch out.

Although pollens can affect you year-round, here's when they're most active:

•     In early spring, avoid trees, especially elm, maple, birch, olive, sycamore, western red cedar, poplar, ash, oak, walnut, beech, cypress, and hickory.

•     In late spring and early summer, stay away from such pollinating grasses as timothy, redtop, or­chard, and Bermuda.

•     From late summer to fall, be wary of these weeds: sagebrush, tumbleweed, Russian thistle, sorrel, plantain, pigweed, box elder, and the ubiquitous ragweed.

Choose "sneezeless" plants for your garden. Pine, plum, magnolia, and dogwood trees and colorful flowers such as aza­leas, tulips, and peonies are excellent choices.

Ask experts at your local nursery to recommend plants and trees that minimize allergy problems. Plants pollinated by bees, for instance, are less allergenic than plants pollinated by the wind.

If you're ever exposed to a blast of pollen, or you've just come in from gardening, hiking, or garage sale-ing, imagine that if pollens were sequins, you'd be sparkling like a Christmas tree. Shed your clothes immediately, put them into a covered hamper, and shower with fragrance-free soap. Don't dry your clothes on outdoor lines, where they can attract more pollen. Wash your hair before bedtime, as pollen clings to it and can rub off on sheets and pillows and trigger allergies overnight. Some doctors suggest rinsing your nose with saline nose drops as soon as you come indoors.

Reduce—or better yet, stop altogether—consumption of al­cohol during allergy season. It stimulates mucus production and dilates blood vessels, worsening runny nose and conges­tion. Tobacco smoke, of course, is another potent irritant.

Don't wait until pollen season to see—or take your child to see—your allergist. Ask your doctor for samples of various medications so you or your child can try them ahead of time to learn which seem to help and have the fewest side effects. Then get the needed prescriptions. In the heat of pollen season, your doctor may be too swamped to treat you.

Children can also benefit from switching to indoor exercises during pollen season, such as basketball, handball, table tennis, or swimming in a sheltered pool and leaving baseball, hiking, and soccer for later in the year. Some parents make a point of visiting their children's schools and discussing the allergy situa­tion with teachers. This often helps teachers stay alert to stu­dents' allergic reactions and better understand their behavior changes.

Try to vacation at the beach, where vegetation is scarce and coastal breezes blow pollen inland. Hot, dry areas such as rural Arizona have low pollen counts. If your time and money per­mit, take an ocean cruise to Europe. The sea air is fresh and in­vigorating, and the continent has little or no ragweed.