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The pollen season is well underway. From June to August plants release their pollen into the air, giving us that distinctive summer aroma. The main contributors to air pollen are trees, flowers and grass. For some people the pollen can cause an allergic reaction. This is usually experienced as puffy sore eyes, sneezing, and even breathing difficulty. This is commonly known as hay fever (the medical term is rhinitis).
For most people, exposure to pollen does not cause a reaction since their immune systems do not produce excessive amounts of histamines. In those who do suffer a reaction, it is because of the excessive histamine levels that we see the reactions described earlier. Hay fever can therefore be managed by taking some form of anti-histamine medication. These can be purchased from any pharmacy. For some, it may be necessary to visit the GP if such medication has no effect.
Histamines are chemicals produced by the body’s immune system to help combat foreign substances. Histamine has the effect of widening the blood vessels and allowing cellular fluid to leak into tissues, as part of the immune systems general attack mechanism.
