Grass pollen season starts too early: These are 8 tips against hay fever complaints | Breda today

via: Residents of Sunny Brussels

Sunday, April 14, 5:30 p.m
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BERGEN OP ZOOM – The first grass pollen is in the air this week and it could already be causing complaints of hay fever in people with severe allergies. Therefore, the start of grass pollen season is very early! The disturbance will gradually increase in the coming weeks. The peak grass pollen season will likely start three weeks earlier than usual this year.

After a record warm February and a record warm March, nature is about three weeks ahead of this century's normal schedule. As a result, we are already past the peak of birch pollen season. Most pollen ends up in the air at the end of March and beginning of April, the weeks leading up to Easter.
In the coming weeks, the birch trees will gradually finish blooming and the inconvenience for those who are only allergic to tree pollen will quickly diminish. Oak and beech trees will bloom en masse in the near future, but few people are allergic to pollen from those trees.

Because April started so quietly, the grass is now developing rapidly. The first flowering grasses, such as the large foxtail weed, have been spotted. In the coming weeks, more and more grass species will flower and the risk of hay fever complaints due to flowering grass will gradually increase.

Tips to reduce complaints

About 2 million Dutch people suffer from grass pollen allergy. Flowering birches also still cause many complaints. About a million Dutch people suffer from this. Here are some tips for people with hay fever to reduce symptoms:

1. Use hay fever medicine on time (preventively).

2. Take a shower before going to bed to wash pollen out of your hair and keep your pillow clean.

3. Wash your clothes regularly and do not dry them in the open air.

4. Keep windows and doors closed or use pollen-proof screens.

5. Apply Vaseline to the inside of your nose so that the pollen sticks to the Vaseline and does not reach the mucous membranes. Vaseline can also help around your eyes.

6. Use glasses (sunglasses). This makes it difficult for pollen to get into your eyes.

7. Avoid physically stressful outdoor activities.

8. Choose the right plants in your garden and avoid plants that bother you.