Experts reveal UK’s top hay fever hotspots as ‘pollen bomb’ expected this weekend - common hay fever symptoms

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The Met Office has issued a warning to hayfever sufferers as high pollen levels are expected

Hay fever sufferers have been warned by the Met Office that a ‘pollen bomb’ is expected to cause issues to those with pollen allergies this weekend. The warning comes as the weather looks to be heating up with temperatures predicted to be high as 16 degrees in some places.

The Met Office forecast predicts pollen levels to be at their highest on April 16 and most of England has been issued with a ‘very high’ red alert. The NHS website states hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy.

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According to the Met Office the high levels this week are coming from tree pollen including birch, hornbeam, willow and ash. As well as fungal spores Aspergillus Penicillium and Pleospora which are in peak season.

New research released by Online.Casino has revealed the UK’s pollen hotspots for spring and tips for minimising pollen exposure. The research conducted by the experts at Online.Casino analysed a study from Worcester University to reveal the average pollen catch across British regions. These figures are based on the average pollen count across spring for spring seasoned pollen.

The data reveals that the south east is the worst for hay fever sufferers, with a total pollen integral of 14,131 across the 92-day spring period (March-June) and an average daily pollen count of 153.60.  The second highest region is East Midlands, with a total pollen integral of 12,026 and an average daily pollen count of 130.72.

A woman blows her nose as the return of pleasant weather marks the arrival of allergenic pollenA woman blows her nose as the return of pleasant weather marks the arrival of allergenic pollen
A woman blows her nose as the return of pleasant weather marks the arrival of allergenic pollen

In third place is the West Midlands, with a total count of 6,403 and an average daily count of 69.60.  And Northern Ireland has the lowest pollen count of only 1,225 across spring, with a daily average of 13.32.

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The Met Office website says around two in every ten people suffer from pollen allergies and it is thought that more than 10 million people in Britain suffer from hay fever. You are more likely to suffer from hay fever if you have a family history of allergies, or if you suffer from asthma or eczema.

Most people develop hay fever in childhood or when they are a teenager, although it can be triggered at any age. Many people find, however, that they grow out of the condition and suffer less from the symptoms of hay fever as an adult.

UK’s pollen hotspots for spring 2023

South East

East Midlands

Wales

East

North East

North West

South Central

South West

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Hayfever symptoms

The NHS website states symptoms of hay fever include:

  • sneezing and coughing
  • a runny or blocked nose
  • itchy, red or watery eyes
  • itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
  • loss of smell
  • pain around your temples and forehead
  • headache
  • earache
  • feeling tired

If you have asthma, you might also:

  • have a tight feeling in your chest
  • be short of breath
  • wheeze and cough

How to stop hay fever - do’s and don’ts

There’s currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it. However, you can do these things to prevent symptoms.

  • put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
  • wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen from getting into your eyes
  • shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
  • stay indoors whenever possible
  • keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
  • vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
  • buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
  • try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

What to avoid when you have hayfever

  •  do not cut grass or walk on grass
  • do not spend too much time outside
  • do not keep fresh flowers in the house
  • do not smoke or be around smoke – it makes your symptoms worse
  • do not dry clothes outside – they can catch pollen
  • do not let pets into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoors

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