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Hot, dry and windy conditions in late spring and summer lead to a noticeable increase in poplar fluff in many regions of the country, which can raise concerns about seasonal allergies – fears that doctors say are wrong. Contrary to popular belief, white down from poplars is not the cause of seasonal allergies.
White, fluffy poplar seeds are carried by the wind and cover the ground with a carpet. While the seeds do not cause allergic reactions, excess fluff is caused by dry, hot, and windy conditions, which also cause plants to produce more pollen particles, which cause hay fever.
When the snow-white fluff of poplars begins to fly through the air, many allergy sufferers experience system overload. While the onset of sneezing, wheezing and watery eyes seems to coincide with this “summer snow”, the fluff itself is not the culprit. But it becomes an ideal carrier for the pollen of other plants. During the fruiting of poplars, the flowering of many herbs reaches its peak.
Can adults be allergic to poplar fluff?
The fluff itself is not allergenic, although it can irritate the mucous membranes due to small fibers that fall on the mucous membranes. But on the surface of down in dry, warm and windy weather, hundreds of particles of dust, pollen and various other substances adhere, which can be allergens for some people.
On cool, rainy days, when the down is nailed to the ground, the amount of allergens and irritation is reduced.
How does an allergy to poplar fluff manifest in adults?
Actually, poplar fluff is nothing more than a pollen carrier, so the reactions will be typical of pollinosis (hay fever).
About a third of the population are prone to developing allergies, including this type. Generally, hay fever is rare in children under 4 years of age because they haven’t been exposed to pollen for enough seasons to cause an allergy. The reaction often peaks in young people: teenagers and people in their 20s and 30s. Moreover, these people often have other features of allergies. They may have asthma, food allergies, and often have a family history of allergies. If someone is experiencing allergy symptoms for the first time, chances are they have changed their lifestyle and come into contact with more pollen.
Pollen particles primarily affect the eyes and nose, not the respiratory system. A small group of patients with a fairly severe form of hay fever, especially if they are prone to asthma, may also develop seasonal asthma. Worsening of pre-existing asthma during allergy season is not uncommon, especially if it is poorly controlled.
Symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing may seem harmless, but they can reduce your quality of life.
How to treat allergy to poplar fluff in adults
The first step to avoiding hay fever is to reduce your exposure to pollen. On hot, dry or windy days, it’s best to stay at home. But if you want to spend your summer days outdoors, you’ll have to take up treatment.
Diagnostics
The basis of diagnosis is the identification of pollinosis by clinical symptoms and its confirmation by skin tests or laboratory tests.
Modern treatments
You can buy good antihistamines without a hypnotic effect without a prescription – they will help reduce the manifestations of hay fever.
Prescription medications can relieve allergy symptoms if over-the-counter medications don’t work, which experts say is a better alternative than simply replacing antihistamines.
There is also a small group of people for whom such treatment does not help – the drugs either do not work or are poorly tolerated. In such cases, patients may undergo allergy desensitization, which essentially treats the allergy to make it less severe.
Non-sedating antihistamines, nasal rinses, nasal steroids, and bedtime showers can help relieve symptoms, but if problems persist, see a doctor.
Prevention of allergy to poplar fluff in adults at home
You can survive the allergy season without significant complications if you minimize the encounter with poplar fluff and control the symptoms:
- close windows and stay indoors in the morning and evening when pollen is most active;
- open windows wide on rainy days, do wet cleaning more often;
- go for walks only after rain, when the fluff with pollen is nailed to the ground and carried through the air;
- after returning home from the street, change clothes and wash your hands and face;
- use a HEPA filter to remove allergens from the air;
- be careful with pets that spend time outdoors – keep them away from the bed, otherwise you will sleep with pollen.
Popular questions and answers
Answered typical questions about allergies to poplar fluff allergist-immunologist, Ph.D. Anatoly Bala.