night time hayfever

[Moose1]

Hi

I dunno if anyone will have an answer for this but why does my hayfever get worse during the night and also when it rains? Often being okay on days with apparently high pollen count?

Thanks

Christine

[Hidden]

Hi,

Consider that you may also be allergic to certain mould or fungal spores and dust mite. Try the usual precautions for dust mites for your bedding and see if it has any beneficial effect. It's my understanding that it would be unusual if you were only allergic to pollen, most people have more than one allergy, unfortunately. Also, the rain can bring the pollen down to a lower level and a severe thunderstorm can also affect pollen so that may be something to do with it. Sorry I can't be more specific but I have done a lot of internet research as I am newly diagnosed and still trying to recognise my triggers as well.

[KateMoss]

When it rains, it often brings down pollen that has floated up into the sky, Also happens at night too when it cools down.

Head during the day makes things rise and the cool of the evening can bring down the pollen.

[Hidden]

I tend to agree with Edwina about the fungal spores and rain - and the hayfever/allergy connection.

Like Edwina, I have also done a wee bit of reading up on allergy, pollen dispersal and thunderstorm asthma, although this was many moons ago.

Personally speaking I dont agree with the common view about pollen falling to ground level at night being responsible for night time allergy/asthma symptoms. In my (non-medical) opinion night time symptoms are more related to lowered immunity in the evening causing a window of vulnerability. As we know, many health complaints tend to get a wee bit worse during the evening.

During summer months everyones allergen load is increased (due to high exposure levels) and when this is combined with lowered immunity, this will increase the probability of allergy symptoms.

With regard to thunderstorm asthma, I believe the jury is still out on this. Some academics have indeed said that symptoms are likely to be caused by pollen grains being washed out the air by the rain. However, others believe that thunderstorms cause an increase in fungal spore dispersal at ground level (by a very large order of magnitude) with the spores becoming airborne and also being broken down into minute particles that become dispersed widely and remain airborne for a considerable length of time. Apparentlly, pollen spores are much larger than fungal spores and tend to be washed out of the air by the rain drops and dont really become airborne, so the theory goes.

Take hair,

Deek