Once the pollen season begins in early spring and continuing through the fall, seasonal allergy sufferers can expect their symptoms to fluctuate with the amount of pollen in the air. People with allergies to more than one type of tree, grass or weed pollen will experience more severe and prolonged symptoms. Pollen count, and therefore allergy symptoms, also tend to increase on dry, cloudless and windy days, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. In general, there are several factors that determine how a person will specifically react to pollen exposure. Among them, according to the September 2002 issue of the European Respiratory Journal, are how sensitive his immune system is; how quickly his symptoms develop within a time period; the type of plant he is allergic to; other pollutants present in the air; climate and weather.
Nasal Symptoms
People suffering from pollen allergy can experience a runny nose that becomes congested, sneezing and itchiness on the roof of the mouth and the back of the throat, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. People with hay fever respond to the presence of pollen in different ways, according to the April 2010 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Those who are more hypersensitive to pollen tend to develop allergic reactions faster and have more severe symptoms as pollen exposure increases compared with people who are not as sensitive to the allergen.
Eye Symptoms
Pollen allergy can also cause symptoms related to allergic conjunctivitis when pollen gets directly into the eyes. Eyes can appear red and itchy. There may also be an intense burning sensation in the eyes. According to Merck, the eyelids can become red and swollen, and there may be a stringy or watery discharge.
Allergic Asthma
Allergic reactions to pollen can include symptoms of asthma, such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness and coughing. There may be difficulty sleeping at night as the symptoms get worse and more frequent. A 2010 study in the Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology found that asthma symptoms among sufferers in Real Ciudad, Spain, became more severe with a higher pollen count. In an urban community in Canada, the grass pollen concentration became so high that people with asthma developed symptoms severe enough to be hospitalized, according to a February 2008 study in the journal International Archives of Allergy and Immunology.
References
- American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology: How Pollen Count Affects Allergy and Asthma
- "European Respiratory Journal"; Outdoor air pollution, climatic changes and allergic bronchial asthma; G. D'Amato; Sept. 2002.
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Seasonal Allergies
- "Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology"; Factors that affect the allergic rhinitis response to ragweed allergen exposure; AK Ellis; April 2010.
- "Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology"; Grass pollen, aeroallergens, and clinical symptoms in Ciudad Real, Spain; F. Feo Brito; 2010.
- "International archives of allergy and immunology"; Tree pollen and hospitalization for asthma in urban Canada; R.E. Dales; February 2008.
