Early Bloomers Birch and Ash - Symptoms, Treatment & Tips

Many allergy sufferers are looking forward to the start of birch and ash blossoming with a queasy feeling. The high allergy potential of the pollen is likely to dampen the joy of the imminent start of spring for some.

Magdalena Schirz

3/2/2020 • Reading time: 1 min

Quelle: Tibesty, Razinskii, Filchakov/Shutterstock.com - Copyright: Scientific DX GmbH, 2019

Pollen load

Depending on weather conditions, exposure to birch, ash and also hornbeam can be expected from about mid to late March. Hornbeam, a birch plant, has a rather low allergy potential, but there is often a cross-reaction with birch, alder and hazel.

Birch


Main flowering	April to May
Allergen potential	high
Note	frequent cross-reactivity with hazel, alder and hornbeam pollen, pollen-associated food allergies (apple, celery, nuts, carrot, ...)

Ash


Main flowering	March to May
Allergen potential	often overlooked allergologically
Note	cross-reactivity with the olive tree

Download igevia pollen calendar as PDF (in German)

The most common symptoms of birch or ash allergy.

Reddening of the conjunctiva
Watery and itchy eyes
Runny nose
Nasal itching and sneezing
Itchy ear canals
Dry cough
Whistling breathing and shortness of breath (in asthma)

Helpful tips

4 tips for the outdoors

Always check the current pollen count before outdoor activities. In this way, heavily polluted areas can be avoided.
It is also advisable to reduce physical contact with pollen as much as possible, so wear (sunglasses) and a head covering.
In addition, do not change your clothes from outside in the bedroom, so that you prevent the pollen from spreading there.
If possible, your hair should be washed after each stay outdoors.

4 Tipps für zu Hause

Häufiges Staubsaugen mit einem entsprechenden Allergiefilter (HEPA) und feuchtes Wischen minimieren die Belastung zuhause.
In Wohngegenden mit besonders intensivem Pollenflug empfehlen sich Pollenschutzgitter an den Fenstern.
Gegebenenfalls können Sie diese auch an den Autofenstern anbringen.
Trocknen Sie Ihre Wäsche nicht im Freien

2 more helpful tips

In addition, to moisten the mucous membranes, it is important to drink enough water.
Nasal douches can also do good.

Attention cross-reaction

In a cross allergy, the body also reacts to substances that are similar in structure to the original allergy trigger. Although it can occur with a wide variety of allergies, (birch) pollen allergy sufferers are particularly often affected. If they experience symptoms as a result of eating certain foods, this is referred to as a pollen-associated food allergy. Such cross-reactions occur relatively frequently.

People who are allergic to birch pollen should be particularly careful with nuts, pome and stone fruit, celery and raw potatoes.

Symptoms of birch pollen-associated food allergy

The so-called oral allergy syndrome occurs most frequently in birch pollen-associated food allergy. The following symptoms are typical when eating the food:

itching in the mouth area and on the lips
tingling in the mouth and throat
scratching in the throat
swelling of the lip, tongue or throat

Approved

This article has been reviewed by unserem Medical-Team for accuracy of content.