Some basics about pollen allergy
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Media reports say that the pollen count for this year is extraordinarily high. It is so high that the Associated Press calls the year 2010 a monster of an allergy season.So what is pollen?
Pollen is a fine to coarse power containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes or sperm cells, according to wiki-pedia. The plants can be ragweed, grass and trees.
When are pollen counts highest during the day and on what types of days are they highest?
Pollen counts are highest between 5 to 10 am and on dry, hot and windy days.
Grass pollen counts vary by temperature, time of day and other weather conditions. Only a small number out of 1,200 species of grass in the North American produce pollens that cause allergies including Bermuda grass, orchard grass, Johnson grass, sweet vernal grass, Kentucky bluegrass and timothy grass.
Less than 100 out of 50,000 kinds of trees produce pollens that cause allergies including oak, birch, hickory, pecan, catalpa. elm, olive, sycamore, walnut, ash, cottonwood, juniper, mesquite, mulberry, acacia, alder, box elder, cypress, and maple.
What is pollen allergy?
Pollen allergy is called hay fever or allergic rhinitis which is an inflammation of mucous membranes lining the nose and sinuses. The condition, which can also result from respiratory infections, causes a runny nose and congestion.
What are the pollen allergy symptoms?
Pollen allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, itching eyes, nose and throat, allergic shiners, watering eyes, conjunctivitis, post nasal drip, mental dullness and fatigue.
Jimmy Downs
Photo courtesy: wikipedia
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