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Hay fever and asthma sufferers warned to ‘take precautions’ this weekend
Pollen can cause a number of harmful symptoms for those with asthma and hay fever
People who suffer from hay fever and asthma have been warned to ‘take precautions’ ahead of the weekend as pollen counts are set to soar.
The Met Office reports high pollen counts across England and Wales for Friday and Saturday (May 13th and May 14th), with medium levels predicted in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
People are being urged to ensure they keep on taking preventer inhalers or hay fever allergy tablets if they use them, and to keep their reliever inhaler with them at all times.
Asthma and Lung UK, the country’s leading lung charity, says that more than 3 million people in the UK have lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and are at risk of attacks or flare-ups this weekend.
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And pollen can trigger symptoms such as a tight chest, wheezing and breathlessness in more than half of people living with asthma (59%) and more than a quarter of those living with COPD, according to research from the charity.
Dr. Andy Whittamore, the clinical lead for Asthma and Lung UK, said: “When pollen levels are at their highest this can be deadly for those with lung conditions like asthma who can suffer serious symptoms and have life-threatening attacks.
“These attacks can leave people fighting for breath, which can be terrifying, but there are things they can do to look after themselves.”
Dr. Whittamore advised people to carry their reliever inhalers every day, ‘especially when they are out and about enjoying the sunshine in case pollen does cause a flare-up of their symptoms’.
He also recommended sufferers use a combination of steroid nasal sprays and non-drowsy antihistamine tablets to help stop the allergic reaction.
This should all be coincided with regular checks of weather forecasts and pollen levels throughout the day.
The NHS also offers a number of tips to help ease symptoms while the pollen count is high, such as putting Vaseline around the nostrils to trap pollen, wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into the eyes, and showering and changing clothes after being outside to wash pollen off.
Other tips include staying indoors whenever possible, keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible, vacuuming regularly and dusting with a damp cloth.
There is currently no cure for hay fever and people who experience it cannot prevent it. For more information on remedies and how to manage the symptoms best, visit the NHS website.