Tree Pollen Allergy Calendar and Guide

Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis/Pollen Allergy is most commonly known as hayfever and is triggered by a negative immune system response to grass, tree and plant pollen.

Hayfever symptoms usually present themselves in the spring and summer months, with different trees and plants reaching peak pollination at different times of the year. It’s important to know your triggers so you can take steps to minimise symptoms and protect yourself from pesky pollens.

Pollen Allergy Symptoms

Pollen allergy symptoms can be mild to severe, and may include the following:

• Earache

• Headache

• Itchy throat

• Itchy red or watery eyes

• Nasal congestion

• Runny nose

• Sneezing

When do UK trees pollinate?

March

Alder, Birch and Willow trees.

April

Ash, Sycamore, Oil Seedrape trees.

May

Oak and Pine trees.

June

Lime tree, grass and nettles.

July

Mugwort.

Pollen Allergy Management

In terms of medication, antihistamines are widely recommended to combat allergy symptoms and can be bought readily at pharmacies and supermarkets. These can be taken as a tablet, oral solution or a nasal spray.

For those with more severe symptoms, an intranasal steroid spray may also be prescribed by your GP to help minimise discomfort and symptoms.

More recently, balms which you can rub beneath your nose and around your nostrils and can be bought and used to help trap pollen before it enters your system. These mostly contain natural ingredients such as beeswax and have been received positively by those in the allergy community.

Other steps you can take to help minimise symptoms include:

1. Changing your clothing and washing your body and hair when you return home from the outdoors. Doing this will ensure that you don’t have any pollen remnants on your clothing, hair or skin. You should also wash any clothes that you’ve worn outdoors too. When drying your clothes when the pollen count is high, make sure that you don’t hang them on the washing line in peak pollen season, as pollen can become trapped on wet clothes and exacerbate symptoms. It’s best to dry them on a drying rack or using the tumble dryer.

2. Check the weather app to monitor pollen forecasts and try to avoid the outdoors if the pollen count is high. You’ll notice that your symptoms are much worse on dry, and hot high-pollen count days. It’s worth noting that pollen counts are normally higher in the morning and early evening.

3. Try to keep your windows shut in the rooms which you use the most, and when driving. You should also make sure that the air-con in your car isn’t being pulled in from outside. Instead, you can set it on the recirculate mode.