Help, it’s Spring!

Spring can be tough for people with asthma, particularly if they also have a pollen allergy.

Pollen is a potent allergen that, when inhaled, can inflame airways and cause asthma attacks. (Like cold-and-flu season, high pollen counts are associated with an increase in asthma-related hospital visits.)

The pollen season is a one-two punch. Trees begin to release pollen around September (depending on where you live), and just when you’re recovering from the tree pollen, grass pollen peaks in November and December.

And then summer heat waves are notorious for sending asthmatics, particularly asthmatic children in urban areas, to the emergency room.
So why do asthma and allergy symptoms seem to get worse with every change in the weather? Although it seems confusing, there are some annual trends, as well as reasons why asthma symptoms are worse at particular times of the year.

In truth, asthma symptoms can flare at any time of year due to well-known asthma triggers, such as pet dander, second-hand smoke, mould, airborne bacteria and exercise. But knowing the triggers that can vary by season, such as pollen, temperature, humidity, pollution and viruses can help people with asthma figure out if they should be stepping up their medication.

As with cold, dry air in the wintertime, exercising outdoors can make people with asthma especially vulnerable to asthma attacks. Fortunately, pollen concentrations are relatively predictable. Pollen counts are the highest between about 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. every day, so if you’re going to be exercising during the pollen season, you’re better off doing it later in the day.

To lessen the chance of irritants becoming airborne inside, it is important to properly maintain your air conditioner. By having it professionally cleaned every 6 months, you are ensuring that the build-up of contaminants on the coils and filters are removed.

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