Know your nose and take precautions

“As winter ends and blossoms appear, asthma, hay-fever, allergic conjunctivitis and even eczema begin to flare up,” says Dr Nicola Rains, a general practitioner at NHC Health Centres.

Allergies are particularly severe in spring due to the increased amount of pollen in the air. Pollen is typically found in trees from early August, grass from October to January and flowers later in summer. Since pollen grains are airborne, they are easily inhaled, and could also possibly land in the eyes.

Allergies are not only caused by pollen. Pets, dust-mites, foods, moulds, room fresheners are also triggers of allergic reactions. According to the Allergy Society of South Africa, up to 20% of South Africans suffer from allergic reactions, with those living in the Highveld particularly prone to this condition.

Some of the symptoms of spring allergies include sneezing, wheezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and watery, red or itchy eyes, headaches and coughing. If you are going to work in the garden, you could wear a dust mask or wet handkerchief over your mouth and nose. You could also avoid hanging washing outdoors on windy days and refrain from keeping flowers indoors.

If you are sending flowers to an allergic individual, refrain from choosing allergenic flowers which predominantly include wind-pollinated, darker-coloured plants. These flowers are usually not scented or include nectar. Brighter coloured flowers depend on insects to carry their pollen to another flower for cross-pollination; therefore their pollen is heavy and is usually not found in the air. The brighter the flower the less likely it is to cause allergies.

“Prevention is better than cure, but if you do experience symptoms associated with spring allergies, there is medical treatment available for relief,” says Dr Rains.

Antihistamines and decongestants are the best treatments for spring allergy symptoms, but they will not cure your allergies. Antihistamines target the chemical called histamine, which your body makes when you have an allergic reaction. These should be started two weeks before the onset of the season and continued until it is over.

“The best way to investigate the triggers of allergic reactions is a simple skin patch allergy test for inhalants which is requested by your doctor. The laboratory typically use allergens, such as pollen, cat/dog hair, and apply it to the outer layer of your skin, and will then check for any reactions at 72 hours,” says Dr Rains.