The pollen count measures the quantity of pollen in the air. Seasonal allergies sometimes called hay fever and allergic rhinitis can be brought on by this pollen.
How Many Pollens Are There?
Some plants and trees produce pollen, a powdery material, as a byproduct of the reproduction process.
The pollen count includes three primary pollen kinds.
- Ragweed pollen is one. This is ragweed and weed pollen from pigweed, sheep sorrel, sagebrush, and lamb’s quarters. The peak ragweed pollen forecast season lasts from August through November. In many regions of the United States, pollen count peaks typically in the middle of September.
- Pollen of grass. The number of grass species exceeds a thousand. However, most do not induce seasonal allergies.
These include Timothy grass, Johnson grass, Orchard grass, Bermuda grass, Sweet vernal grass, and Kentucky bluegrass.
Pollen from grass is seasonal and local. Avoiding mowing the lawn or using a mask are the best ways to protect yourself against grass pollen. You can also cultivate ground covers with less pollen, such as dichondra or Irish moss.
- Pollen from trees. Avoid these things if you have allergies to tree pollen:
- Walnut
- Oak
- Elm
- Catalpa
- Hickory
- Pecan
- Sycamore
The following trees are much less likely to trigger allergies: Fig, Pear, Plum, Fir, Dogwood, and Redwood. However, tree pollen has a long-range, so even if you are far from some trees, you could still experience its effects. Trees begin to discharge pollen forecast as early as January in the southern US. The tree pollen season may begin in May or June in the country’s northern regions. Climate has an impact on how plants produce pollen. An early pollen season results from warmer days & milder winters. Pollen forecast season is frequently postponed by cold weather. According to scientists, the duration of the growing season inside the northern US has grown due to a warming environment. The pollen season lengthened by up to 13 – 27 days between 1995 and 2009.
How Is Pollen Counted?
Numerous organizations and allergy centers in the US do pollen sampling. 84 of these sample locations are used by the National Allergy Bureau, a volunteer group, to gather data.
A rooftop is typically where a pollen counter is installed. This device keeps spore samples for a whole day. It is then brought to a lab to analyze the collected spores. Thanks to this, scientists can determine the kinds of pollen and their quantity in the area.
A Pollen Forecast: What Is It?
An estimation of pollen count is called a pollen forecast. Typically, this is based on pollen data from prior years and broad weather projections.
Pollen Count Statistics
The type of pollen being tested determines the pollen count. These figures are expressed as pollen grains per cubic meter.
Tree pollen
- Low: 1 to 14 for tree pollen
- moderate (15-89)
- Extreme between 90 and 1,499
- Extremely high: over 1,500
Mold spores
- Low: 1 – 6,499
- Low: 6,500 to 12,999
- Extreme from 13,000 to 49,999
- Extremely high: over 50,000
Weed pollen
- Low: 1 to 9
- between 10 and 49
- Extreme: 50 to 499
- Extremely high: over 500
Grass pollen
- Low: 1 to 4
- Medium: 5 to 19
- Extreme: 20 to 199
- Extremely high: above 200
High Pollen Count: What Does It Mean?
People sensitive to pollen or mold are likely to develop symptoms when there is a high pollen count. If there is a lot of pollen around, practically everyone allergic to mold or pollen may experience symptoms.
Low Pollen Count: What Does It Mean?
Only people particularly sensitive to pollen or mold will have problems when there is a low pollen count.
Allergies to Pollen Count
Your body’s response to something it perceives as an invader is an allergy. Histamines are substances released by your immune system to combat the allergen. These may manifest as sneezing, congestion, and itchy, watery eyes. To assist manage the symptoms of your pollen allergy, your doctor might prescribe some medicine.
Suggestions for Pollen Season
Here are some suggestions to help you cope with periods of high pollen counts:
- The morning and evening have higher pollen. Try to go out when there is less pollen present.
- If it’s windy, stay inside. The pollen count may be typically greater when it’s windy and warm outside.
- Bathe in the morning. Your skin, clothing, and hair may become covered in pollen. Take a shower to remove the pollen before bed to prevent it from landing on your mattress. Additionally, take off any clothing that might have pollen on it and wash it.
- Take an antihistamine before going outside. This will assist in getting the medication to your system before any allergic symptoms.
- Cleaning up the air within your home is another technique to lessen allergy problems.
- Try to shut your windows and doors. Doing this can minimize the amount of pollen in the house. Additionally, you might wish to utilize air purifiers and a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
- Keep the place tidy. Pollen and irritants may be present in dust. Smoke from fireplaces and cigarettes can exacerbate allergy problems.
- Dry your items in a dryer rather than outside. Pollen gathers on clothing when it is hung outside.