Spring has well and truly sprung! Saying goodbye to the cooler weather is often a time of dread for allergy sufferers – hay fever season is here. As many as one fifth of Australians experience hay fever, which makes what should be a wonderful time to be outdoors a time of discomfort.
We’ve put together a quick guide on how to minimise your exposure, with some cool tools and apps to help you avoid and manage your hay fever so you can get back to enjoying everything that spring has to offer!
What are the common causes and symptoms of hay fever?
There are many potential triggers for hay fever and other seasonal allergies with the most common being pollens, mould and animal hair. Once airborne, these irritants can cause people to experience an allergic reaction (allergic rhinitis), better known as hay fever.
Although hay fever is often self-diagnosable, many of the symptoms appear similarly to those of a cold or flu. This means that sometimes the reaction is overlooked, or incorrectly diagnosed. The main symptoms for hay fever include; pain in the ear, congestion, a runny or stuffy nose, itchy or puffy eyes, wheezing, coughing, fatigue and a headache.
These symptoms can often be relieved by over the counter medications, such as antihistamines but those experiencing extreme symptoms should consult their GP to identify the specific triggers for their allergic reaction.
Best Apps for tracking pollen and spring allergens
If you’re not looking to miss out on the springtime fun, but are prone to the symptoms, here are 2 awesome apps that will help you keep track of pollens and other spring allergens floating around. These apps are incredibly useful for anyone that suffers seasonal or chronic hay fever, as well as asthmatics who are triggered by airborne allergens.
AccuWeather
AccuWeather is a top-tier weather app, offering a comprehensive breakdown of current weather conditions and forecasting including an allergy forecast feature. If you want a one stop shop for all your weather and allergy forecasting needs, AccuWeather is a great tool for the job – allergens are categorised, so the app may not be suitable if you’re only allergic to a select few types of pollen.
WeatherBug
The WeatherBug app provides a comprehensive weather breakdown, offering a 10-day forecast with a pollen index for the day, highlighting the primary allergy triggers. The addition of the smart home capability also allows users to sync the app with their smart home systems.
So this spring help minimise your chances of encountering a bout of hay fever, and take a proactive, preventative approach to seasonal allergies. You’ll feel better, look better and you’ll be able to enjoy everything spring has to offer without constantly reaching for tissues!
As always, please let me know if there are any particular topics you would love us to look into or you have any queries or concerns.
You can call me on 03 9963 4804 or email me directly.
Oliver Szklarz
