35 million Americans suffer from hay fever, or Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis. Hay fever is an allergic reaction that can cause:
People who have hay fever are allergic to specific plant pollens in the air, including those from trees, grass or weeds. However, other sources such as mold spores, dust, household mites, tobacco smoke, perfumes, smog and animal dander can cause allergies with similar symptoms.
Hay fever plants are most often pollen-producing male plants that rely on wind to transport their pollen. Female plants, which have large, brightly colored fl owers and produce seed pods, berries and fruit, usually do not bother hay fever sufferers.
People often like to plant male plants instead of “messy” female plants, which makes it hard for those with allergies. This has led to an increase in pollen counts over the years.
Because winds can carry the light-weight pollens over long distances, people with allergies may never see the plants that cause their symptoms!
While there are not that many kinds of hay fever plants, some of them, such as grasses, occur in very large numbers.
In the U.S., approximately 14 million doctor visits are made each year because of hay fever symptoms.
Approximately 80% of school age children with asthma also have allergies.
Sources: (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (2) Breysee et al. “The relationship between housing and health: Children at risk” Environmental Health Perspectives 2004; 112: 1583-1588
Knowing when there will be high pollen levels can help you prevent hay fever symptoms. When this happens:
You can get information about pollen levels in your area through:
Avoiding pollen all of the time may be impossible. Pollen can be anywhere, so moving to another area to avoid your allergies will probably not help. Here are some other tips to control your hay fever:
Allergies affect as many as 50 million Americans and is a leading cause of illness and disability in the United States.
Approximately 35 million Americans suffer from allergic reactions to airborne allergens such as pollen
Source: 2003 Dept Health and Human Services
If you would like us to send you a brochure which lists common hay fever plants in California by their pollen season, please contact your local office.
You can also check out these hay fever resources: