Hay fever sufferers are being warned to brace for an intense pollen season following a wet and warm winter.
In Australia, one in four people suffer from hay fever (allergic rhinitis), which is an allergic reaction that happens when the immune system responds to an allergen.
Common seasonal allergens such as pollen and grass can trigger hay fever as well as year-round allergens including dust mites and animal fur.
Sunshine Coast Health immunologist Dr David Gillis says he expects this year’s hay fever season will be worse than previous years.
“When it is as wet as it has been and then it gets hot, the grass grows more and therefore produces more pollen,” Dr Gillis says.
“This varies from state to state but in Queensland, we don’t have as marked a season as the southern states, but people do get worse in the spring.”
Symptoms include an itchy, runny or blocked nose, itchy or watery eyes, sneezing and interrupted sleep.
Dr Gillis says there are some simple changes people with hay fever can make to protect themselves against pollen.
“In most instances, antihistamines and intranasal steroid sprays are very effective,” Dr Gillis says.
“You can have house dust mite resistant pillows, mattresses and not having carpets on the floors helps as well.”
Dr Gillis says another simple laundry swap can also provide relief.
“If people are grass allergic, then I suggest they put their bed sheets in the dryer during periods of high pollen, which would be in windy periods from the west and the north,” Dr Gillis says. “If you put them on the line and the pollen sets and then you put them on your bed, it then becomes an indoor allergen.”
Dr Gillis encourages people with allergies to consult their general practitioner if they’re struggling with symptoms.
“We provide a consultative service for people who still suffer from hayfever even though their general practitioner has taken them through a number of steps,” Dr Gillis says.
“In certain cases, we discuss desensitisation injections for people who don’t respond to other medications.”
