The pollen season has started. Many people are allergic to birch and grass.

Do you feel tired or out of sorts during the day? Here you will find answers to most of your questions about pollen allergies.

Pollen floats in the air and settles on the skin, body and clothes.

This year, the grass pollen season is expected at the beginning of June. Burot season will start from mid-July.

– And many people think that “that’s how I have to be”. They are not aware that you can get good help. The important thing is first and foremost to take the allergy medicine every day – and to take the right medicine, says senior adviser Anna Bistrup at the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association (NAAF).

– Many people think that any allergy tablet is suitable. That’s not how it is. There are many possibilities among medicines. One must make use of all the tools such as the right nasal spray and find what helps best.

– You can also get a treatment, an allergy vaccination, which is effective in around 80 per cent. Today, this treatment is mostly available as tablets, but it can also be given as an injection by a specialist. It is intended for those with major pollen problems, explains Bistrup.

Pollen and foods

– Should one avoid particular foods?

– We are careful to say that people should stop eating something. Some people react to proteins in certain foods. It depends on the type of pollen allergy they have. This is called cross allergy. Then you can get itching and discomfort, oral allergy syndrome (OAS).

But the individual foods do not affect the pollen allergy itself, points out Anna Bistrup.

Are you wondering how you can avoid the worst ailments? Hang in there for the expert’s top 5 advice.

When and where does the pollen come from?

The flowering of birch usually starts in the second or third week of April. Heat and sun cause a strong spread on some days. If it is humid and raining, the pollen falls to the ground and rarely causes problems.

Many choose to escape from Eastern Norway, where it is dry and hot, to a place where the pollen season has not yet begun. Out on the lake. Up in the mountains, where cold nights help and the season is shorter.

Marte Kvittum Tangen, head of the Norwegian Association for General Medicine, tells Aftenposten. GPs often see patients with allergy complaints.

Tired of the allergy or the medicine?

Many people can get tired of the allergy itself. It can be difficult to know whether it is due to side effects of the medication or the allergy.

It is especially the “old generation” antihistamines that you can get tired of. They are also used as sleeping tablets. Most people don’t get tired of the new generation. If you experience side effects, it’s a good idea to talk to your GP about switching to another type of antihistamine.

– You can also take a tablet every day for three years against grass pollen or birch pollen. We call it immunizing. Then the vast majority get rid of the allergy. This is a treatment that should only be used for severe complaints and the lack of effect of the allergy medicines, says Kvittum Tangen.

Most people have a good effect from antihistamines, especially if they start a few weeks before the season.

– If you have forgotten to take it, it can still help if you take it regularly. In addition, there are eye drops and nasal sprays. Some are taken once a day, others must be used several times a day, says the general practitioner.

Here are the expert’s five pieces of advice for you who suffer from pollen allergies:

1) Rinse your hair

It is a good idea to rinse your hair or shower in the evening. Change pillowcases. Wear a cap outside. Wash your face when you come in if it’s dry and hot outside.

2) Wear outerwear in the hallway.

Store outerwear in the hallway, not in the bedroom. Do not dry clothes outdoors.

3) Check the pollen warning.

Follow the national pollen warning from NAAF. Here you get information about the spread of pollen. Try to not aerate, when there is a lot of spreading.

4) Find the best treatment.

If you get very tired and think it’s the allergy medicine, talk to your GP about trying another medicine. You can also get tired of the allergy itself. You can also get good information at the pharmacy. Allergies are common.

5) Dry the dog with a cloth.

Dry the dog with a microfiber towel in turn.