Pollen allergies

Pollen allergies are the most common type of allergy. Pollen allergy is caused by pollens from various plants. This form of allergy belongs to the so-called inhalation allergies, because pollens easily enter the respiratory tract . Inhaled pollen causes an allergic reaction in sensitive people , which can manifest itself in, among other things, a runny nose , conjunctivitis , cough and even asthma .

The most common form of allergic rhinitis is the so-called hay fever . Unpleasant symptoms usually occur from spring to autumn. In the case of pollen allergy, it is an allergic reaction of the early type . Problems appear within a very short time (in the order of minutes) after contact with the allergen . One of the food allergies is often present at the same time as the pollen allergy (see the article Crossed food allergies ).

What are the causes of pollen allergy?

Pollen allergy often runs in the family. However, not only genetic predisposition is involved in the development of allergies , but also some environmental factors, such as cigarette smoke . According to one of the theories, excessive hygiene can also be to blame , which results in an insufficient load on the immune system , which then becomes “bored” and triggers allergic reactions against substances commonly found in the environment (such as pollen).

The main causes of pollen allergies are the following types of pollen:

• tree pollens,
• grass and rye pollens,
• weed pollen.

Pollen allergies have a strictly seasonal course. A person suffering from a pollen allergy has symptoms only when the plants to which they are allergic are in bloom. Allergies to grass pollens are most common. In the case of tree pollens, birch, alder and hazel pollen, i.e. the entire beech family (lat. Fagaceae ), are the most problematic from the point of view of allergies. However, pollen from other trees can also make life difficult for people with allergies – for example, ash trees, which belong to the olive family (lat. Oleaceae ). In the Mediterranean, pollen allergies can also be caused by plants from the cypress family (lat. Cupressaceae ) and olive trees (they are related to our ash). Of the herbs, allergies are mainly caused by plants from the nettle family (lat. Urticaceae ) and asteraceae (lat. Asteraceae ; they include, for example, wormwood or ragweed).

Fungal spores are also worth mentioning . Although it is not pollen, despite popular belief, they are found not only indoors, but also outdoors from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. Mold spores appear in the air mainly after rain or storms. More information can be found in the Allergy to mold category .

Flowering times in the Czech Republic

It is important for allergy sufferers to know when which plant blooms so they can prepare for it. In the Czech Republic, we distinguish three important flowering periods:

Flowering period 1: spring (February to April, flowering time of trees). Flowering time depends on weather conditions. The warmer it is, the stronger the pollen load. Alder and hazel, for example, bloom early. From mid-March to mid-April, birch and ash pollen cause the heaviest load.

Flowering time 2: early summer (May to July, flowering time of grasses and cereals). Here, too, the pollen load is stronger in good weather. Allergies to grass and cereal pollens are most common. Cereals are related to grasses, so people with grass pollen allergies also react to pollens from different cereals.

Flowering time 3: late summer and autumn (July to September, flowering time of herbs). Allergies to wormwood and ragweed are particularly widespread in the Czech Republic.

Do you want to know in which areas of the Czech Republic an increased amount of pollen can be expected? You can find the current pollen forecast on the website of the Pollen Information Service [1].

Cross allergies to pollens and foods

In the case of cross-allergy, a person is allergic not only to certain pollens, but also to certain foods. Some foods of plant origin contain substances that are structurally similar to pollen. However, the body cannot distinguish them and reacts allergic to these foods as well. For example, an allergy to mugwort pollen often occurs together with an allergy to spices or celery.

People with an allergy to birch pollen are often allergic to hazelnuts or apples. However, other food allergies can also occur that are related to pollen allergies. For more information, see the article Crossed Food Allergies .