So THAT's Why Your Hay Fever Is So, So Bad This Year

Pollen-rich grassI was walking through Hyde Park when it happened – my eyes began to water, my nose itched, and I began to sneeze like someone had opened a kilo bag of pepper. It can’t be hay fever, I told myself. I’ve never had the condition in my life.But facts are facts; the runny nose, stuffy throat, and watery eyes return every time I go for a walk. suggesting my pollen sensitivity is on the up. Either that, or, as some researchers have found, the pollen is getting more and more plentiful as time goes on. Here’s why experts think pollen allergies are getting worse year-on-year, and what (if anything) we can do about it.Yup, part of it is climate change Right now, the UK is experiencing what’s on track to be the driest spring on record. The UK is also becoming hotter on average as part of global warming, the Met Office says.A 2020 American paper found that climate change is linked to both more pollen overall (a 21% rise year-on-year), and a 20-day extension on “pollen season” between 1990 and 2008. Additionally, your local wildlife matters.King Edward VII Hospital writes that London plane trees, which abound in the park where I first had my reaction, are a “common culprit” for early summer sneezing (they are planted all over the country, despite the name – if you live by one, your allergies may be worse).Some grasses and other trees, like oak, birch, and ash can affect you too. More bad news: speaking to the BBC, Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, senior palynologist and pollen forecaster, shared: “Trees that produce allergenic pollen in the UK tend to have alternating high and low years of severity – this year is a high year.”What can I do to get rid of hay fever?If possible, it may be worth your while going to a beach, where there’s a lot less pollen to handle. If not, though, keeping your windows shut, putting petroleum-based jelly on your nostrils, protecting your eyes when you’re out, vacuuming regularly, and showering before bed can all help. If your symptoms are getting worse and do not improve after speaking to a pharmacist and taking the medicine they advise, the NHS says you should see a GP.Related...Have Hay Fever? This Driving Mistake May Be Ruining Your SleepThe 1 Common Remedy You Should Never Use When Your Child Has A FeverHay Fever Symptoms Are Getting Worse – But Is An Injection Really A 'Quick Fix'?

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