2023-05-29 22:04:54
While 82 metropolitan departments are on red alert for grass pollen at the end of May, an allergist explains this Monday to see “more severe cases, more severe symptoms from year to year”.
“It seems that there is a modification of the pollen seasons as the climate evolves”, notes Monday, May 29 on franceinfo Sophie Silcret-Grieu, allergist and member of the association asthma and allergies. Currently, 82 metropolitan departments are on red alert for grass pollen. She therefore believes that the “environmental factors must be taken into account”. Regarding the number of people with allergies, “it keeps growing”. We must therefore remain vigilant, “Treat yourself and not let the symptoms get worse”.
>> Health: allergies still relevant with the arrival of grass pollen
franceinfo: Does this unprecedented level of pollen mean more serious cases of allergies or more people likely to experience this allergy?
Sophie Silcret-Grieu : Like every year, we have a few more allergic patients. This number continues to grow. We indeed see more severe cases, more severe symptoms from year to year which can sometimes lead to hospital and this year is no exception. It should be remembered that the most severe form of respiratory allergy induced by pollens can lead to serious asthma attacks, either for asthmatic people whose usual treatment will not be enough, or for people who will start a disease. asthmatic by inhaling a large amount of pollen. You should also know that the symptoms change with age. What we did not think a few years ago and what we now see is that people who are over fifty can start an allergic disease and with age the symptoms overlap with other diseases. : for example, people who have a respiratory pathology risk having more severe allergic symptoms.
If we avoid outings in the middle of nature, are we sure of protecting ourselves?
No, we’re not sure. For pollen to be allergenic, it must be small enough to enter the respiratory tract. The pollens we are talking regarding are therefore pollens transported by the wind, unlike those transported by insects. These pollens can be found miles away from their point of origin. This is how we see people who are very allergic to pollen being embarrassed even in town.
Faced with this volatility, what can we do?
The first thing is to take medication, treat yourself and not let the symptoms get worse, it’s a bad reflex that many people have. In fact, the allergy tends to self-aggravate: the longer you wait, the harder it is for the drugs to work. There are over-the-counter medications in pharmacies that are very effective. In a second step, it is necessary to consult, if possible an allergist who can have a little long waiting times. You should know that consulting even in a few months, in the fall, remains useful because it will allow you to prepare for next season. Finally, it is necessary to identify the more severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, a nocturnal cough that does not pass, wheezing… Which require consultation quickly.
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Do we know how long this allergenic period will last?
Regarding the duration, in terms of grass allergy, we have until the end of July. Then there are other pollens that take over, such as those of ambrosia, for example, which can last in August, September and even October sometimes. The pollen seasons tend to be a little earlier, a little spread out and the pollens are more abundant. It looks like there is a change in pollen seasons as the climate changes. Environmental factors are therefore obviously to be taken into account: the pollination of trees is earlier and we see plants pollinating in regions where they were not previously pollinated.
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