What type of climate is best for people highly sensitive to pollens?
I have suffered from hayfever for a long time. My symptoms tend to be quite severe. I get the usual itchy eyes and sneezing. However, I also get itchy all over my body. Worse still, I can't sleep when I have hayfever. Not even sedating antihistamines like Polaramine help.
I have lived in Auckland and Sydney over the last twenty years. However, I moved to Perth (Perth, Australia) last year and this year experienced hayfever that was utterly debilitating. It lasted for five months and I averaged only three to four hours of fitful sleep throughout that five months.
This experience has made me realise that the climate in Perth - which is hot and dry - is not suitable for me. I have been trying to locate information on the type of climate that would better suit an individual like me. I gather that tropical climates are better; and I must say that when I holidayed in Singapore from December 2007 to March 2008, I didn't have hayfever.
I've been trying to find something like a register of countries with hayfever 'ratings' on the internet, but so far to no avail.
On a final note, I read in the news that Perth's pollen count was rising to 400 and beyond this year, which I gather is very extreme.
So I want to identify countries that don't experience these extremes - or at least identify more conducive climate 'types' than the type I've experience in Perth!
On a final note, when I lasted tested for allergies - back in New Zealand - the tests revealed allergies to grass pollens and perennial ryegrass.
I would be very grateful for any advice.
Hi there,
Sorry to hear you had such a rough allergy season. I know how rough that can be. It's no fun. As far as climate, hot, dry conditions are definitely conducive to easy spread of the grass pollens that you know are your triggers. In fact, those are the worst conditions.
Wetter, cooler temperatures are less conducive to pollen spread. However, they can also be more conducive to mold growth, so if mold bothers you too, you won't find necessarily find relief in a tropical climate either.
Moving to a new area may seem like a solution, but if you're highly allergic, it's likely that you'll develop allergies to new substances in the new area sooner or later.
Good luck to you,
Kathi
-
- Ranked Helpful (1)
- Report Abuse
All Pollened Out
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 at 04:29 AM
Thank you very much, Kathi. I appreciate your taking the time to reply to my query. You have confirmed my developing suspicions about hot, dry climates. I hear what you are saying about moving elsewhere. However, I don't plan to stay in Perth long term, and so thought I'd start investigating climates to ensure that I don't move somewhere else that's as bad as Perth. It sounds like you are all too familiar with allergies yourself, but I hope you have yours well under control! Thank you very much for your well wishes.