The pollen calendar – what is it and what does it look like? What is dusting now? [WE EXPLAIN]

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All allergy sufferers struggle with being their own fairy – will I just sneeze tomorrow, or is he also watering and needing a doctor’s care? A solution that is already old comes to the rescue, that is the pollen calendar of plants. This way of avoiding exacerbation of allergy symptoms, known for years, can make life easier for many allergy sufferers and make the time spent outdoors cease to be a game of roulette with its own immune system.

The pollen calendar – what is it?

A pollen calendar for allergy sufferers is a list of the most common trees, flowers and shrubs that cause allergies that release pollen and essential oils; it is to these substances that we are most often hypersensitive and react with rhinitis, reddening of the skin, and even coughing. If you are allergic to pollen from trees, it probably is:

1. poplar (pollinating already in March, but the highest concentration of pollen occurs in mid-April),
2. oak (most species begin to dust at the turn of April and May),
3. birch (the end of March is a time of crisis, the situation slightly improves in April).

The most popular, apart from those listed on the lists of enemies of allergy sufferers, are plantain, quinoa, hazel, mushrooms from the Cladosporium family and their cousins, Alternaria molds, field grasses, couch grass, strawberries, alder, willow, beech, hornbeam and ash, albeit in many plant pollen calendars there are even more species that we can encounter in parks, family allotment gardens, forests and our own balconies.

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The pollen calendar – what does it look like?

The pollen calendar is in the form of a table, where plants are sorted according to the degree of pollination, making it easy to verify when we can expect an increase in allergy symptoms. Usually the year in the calendar is divided into quarters or months (and sometimes even weeks) and several colors indicate the degree of danger, from weak through moderate to severe, when people who are particularly allergic are recommended to limit walks in the fresh air.

Some pollen calendars, apart from the tables, also have small maps of Poland with sharp-colored regions of particularly strong pollination of a given plant or tree. Thanks to this, it is possible, for example, to plan your vacation at a time when your dream Masuria or Podhale are not full of allergens that can spoil the trip.

It is worth verifying where it came from calendar of pollination of trees and plants comes. The most reliable are the almanacs issued by recognized university medical and biological centers as well as state institutions dealing with citizens’ health and meteorology, for example the Environmental Allergen Research Center or the World Allergy Organization, Polish branch.

You can also use pollen mini calendarwhich is updated daily and available online as a convenient form of allergy control. There are many such calendars, and in the summer season, larger internet portals have their own mini-calendars on their home pages. This format is also ecological because it does not require printing anything on paper. Television stations often provide information on the degree of pollination of plants when presenting the weather forecast for the next few days.

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The pollen calendar – symptoms of inhalation allergies

The pollen calendar is the easiest way to prepare for your pollen season. Plant pollen allergies are the most common type of allergy. These are the so-called inhalation allergies, which are mainly caused by:

1. hay fever – both sneezing and stuffy nose, as well as itching and heavy discharge from the nose;
2. itching and redness of the eyes;
3. swelling of the eyelids;
4. tearing;
5. shortness of breath, coughing fits, breathing problems;
6. hives, itchy skin, allergic rash;
7. tiredness;
8. irritability;
9. angioedema;
10. breakdown and general malaise.

Some people may also develop diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting, and headache.

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The pollen calendar and ways to deal with allergies

There are several ways to deal with an allergy:

1. a visit to an allergist – this is essential. An allergist is able to make a diagnosis and introduce appropriate treatment that will alleviate or completely eliminate the annoying symptoms of allergy;
2. dusting messages – we will obtain information on e.g. dust intensity;
3. staying in closed rooms – we limit contact with allergens. It is worth choosing rainy weather, mornings or evenings for walks. Avoid parks, meadows, etc. Remember about sunglasses;
4. after returning home – try to remove any pollen from yourself (shower, wash your head, change your clothes);
5. take care of nasal hygiene – rinse your nose with saline;
6. take care of adequate humidity in the apartment;
7. do not open the windows at night, and during the day, drop damp, “dense” curtains that will retain some of the pollen;
8. buy cleans the air;
9. exercise indoors, avoid outdoor training;
10. grow plants that are safe for you – it’s best to eliminate plants that sensitize you from your surroundings;
11. avoid products that cross-react with pollen.

Dust calendar – what is dusting now?

The pollen calendar helps in identifying what is pollinating in a given month. Below we present a shortened pollen calendar for the whole year.

What does it dust in January?

Hay fever in January it is possible because it is at the beginning of the year that hazel begins to dust, and then alder, and unfortunately, these two allergies are most often combined. In addition, due to the so-called cross-reactions allergy to hazel and alder pollen can cause allergy symptoms to appear also after eating hazelnuts and some fruits (cross-reactions are due to the similarity of allergens).

What does it dust in February?

In February, hazel and alder start to bloom, and alder pollen levels can be so high that it often causes pollen asthma symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and wheezing.

What dusts in March?

In March, hazel, ash, alder and poplar dust, which, however, rarely causes allergies. An allergy in March is also often caused by grass pollen.

What dusts in April?

In April, it dusts poplar, oak, ash, birch and willow. Birch is the second most common cause of allergies after grasses. People allergic to birch pollen also show symptoms of secondary allergy to cherries, celery, apples and carrots. This allergy is manifested by swelling of the lips and oral mucosa, runny and itchy nose, and even nausea and vomiting.

What is dusting in May?

The beginning of May is the period of pollination of oak, ash and birch. However, at the end of the month, they start to dust the grass very intensively. Symptoms include bouts of sneezing, watery and red eyes, runny nose and pollen asthma.

What is dusting in June?

June is the period of intense grass pollen. In addition, mold fungi spore. Nettle, plantain and sorrel bloom. The higher the temperature, the stronger the allergy symptoms.

What does dust in July?

In July, mold fungi continue to spore. Weeds are also dusty, among them the most allergenic mugwort. Its pollen causes cross-reactions after eating, for example, celery, carrots or apples, so people allergic to mugwort pollen should avoid these vegetables.

What does it dust in August?

August is the time of flowering of nettle, ambrosia, quinoa and mugwort, as well as strong sporulation of mold fungi. The most common allergy is fungi of the genus Alternaria. It is worth knowing that they also appear on fruits and vegetables and in damp places (window sills, walls, window frames).

What is dusting in September?

In September, mold spores in the air are a problem. In addition, ambrosia dusts, the most sensitizing varieties of which grow, among others, in Poland. People with such an allergy may also develop allergy symptoms after contact with mugwort pollen or chamomile flower extract.

What is dusting in October?

October is the last moment of pollinating ambrosia. Mold spores are present in the air until November. People allergic to pollen can breathe. In the autumn and winter period, you can feel the effects of year-round allergies, such as allergies to dust mites, mold or animal hair.

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