Pollen count

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

When does “my” pollen fly? Where and how many These questions are very important for hay fever patients, for example if they are taking antiallergic medication or want to travel. At the beginning of the pollen season, the following applies: Find out when and where the pollen count is to be expected most violently! The pollen forecast, which can be accessed online, for example, helps here. Read everything you need to know about pollen count here.

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. J30

Pollen flight possible without a flowering period

The pollen count can sometimes surprise allergy sufferers: While the earth is still frozen as hard as a stone and all the surrounding plants are still in hibernation, pollen from hazel and alder can irritate the mucous membranes in the nose and eyes. How is that possible? Pollen are long-haul flyers. They can travel several hundred kilometers in the air before sinking to the ground. Hay fever symptoms can also occur when the plant in question is not yet blooming in the allergy sufferer's home region.

The pollen calendar is therefore an important aid for pollen allergy sufferers: It shows when hay fever symptoms can be expected over the course of the year. You can also see how high the exposure to allergy-causing pollen is over the course of the months. A small amount of pollen is often enough for an allergic reaction. However, the higher their concentration increases, the more severe the complaints become. A plant naturally shows its strongest pollen count during its main flowering period.

Weather and climate change influence the pollen count

Due to the different weather patterns from year to year, the actual pollen count of a plant can vary by several weeks. In spring-like weather, the hay fever season often begins in December or January with the first pollen from hazel and alder. By March at the latest, the pollen flow will have fully started, and pollen allergy sufferers have to reckon with complaints such as a blocked or runny nose, watery eyes and the urge to sneeze.

In general, the pollen season in Germany lasts roughly from January to September - still. Experts warn that climate change is changing the pollen count. The pollen from hazel, alder and birch are particularly affected: Due to climate change, these occur earlier and earlier and tend to be in higher concentrations in the air. At some point, the pollen count in Germany - in different strengths and compositions - could last all year round.

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