“My eyes are on fire!” » “I have space asthma attacks.” “It’s been a while since I’ve had such severe symptoms.” By analyzing the wet finger allergy barometer, many people are complaining about the violence of pollen this year.
To the credit of their feelings, the latest allergo-pollen bulletins from the National Aerobiological Monitoring Network (RNSA) saw red across the entire territory. But are pollens really more severe this season? What could be the causes? Could the long autumn winter and the late arrival of sunny days be an explanation?
Pollen “explosions”
First question: are the pollens really more numerous or violent at the moment? Yes: “this year, there was excess pollen in all regions, as shown by the RNSA maps: it was often red everywhere with the exception of the Breton tip, indicates Isabella Annesi-Maesano, director research to Inserm and epidemiologist of allergic and respiratory diseases.
Especially since there was a lot of pollen very early, from January, because there were not enough cold days when it would have been necessary, when the plant needed to hibernate. This year, the pollen season is very long and intense, without respite, she continues. I don’t think there’s been a month without a pollen alert.”
And if there are so many, it is because “pollens being the means of reproduction of plants, when the climatic conditions are bad and suddenly there is a small window of good weather, they then release very large quantities of pollen, violently, in the form of a cloud, and this is precisely what has happened recently,” explains Dr Albanne Branelec, allergist.
A repeated alternation of good then lousy weather “which could slightly modify the behavior of the grasses and trigger an explosion of pollen in the wake of the warmer temperatures,” suggests Isabella Annesi-Maesano. In addition, the arrival of certain pollens was delayed this year by the very changeable weather alternating hot and cold, which gives the impression of plants catching up in pollination.”
Explosion of symptoms
In mid-April, during the weekend when summer temperatures were recorded, Alice, who defines herself as “very mild and untreated allergic”, had symptoms like she had not experienced for a very long time: “eyes “watery and itchy, repeated sneezing attacks, runny and itchy nose, and tingling in the throat,” describes the young woman. “For the meteorological reasons mentioned, the symptoms can be more violent because the concentration of pollen in the air is higher at certain times, we breathe a lot of it so the symptoms are more severe, and more violent at once,” confirms Dr. Branelec. For people with allergies, exposure to pollen is less gradual than usual. This is why even treated and monitored patients are confronted with these variations in pollen concentration and experience more or less violent symptoms depending on the year.”
Because “allergy is also a matter of dose: the more pollen there is, the more allergic symptoms are exacerbated,” says Isabella Annesi-Maesano. These explosions of pollen therefore put “allergic patients at risk, increasing their symptoms as well as the number of allergic people”. Fortunately, “there are few people allergic to all pollens,” reassures the epidemiologist of allergic and respiratory diseases. People are generally allergic to a pollen and have symptoms during its season. It is true, however, that the grass pollen season is long, so people who are allergic to them suffer for several months. However, the data shows that it is at the start of pollination that pollens are most aggressive.”
Benjamin, reader of 20 minutes, wonders if his allergy to pollen could be the cause of the migraines he has had recently. Migraines occurring during pollen peaks. “It is not really documented by robust studies, but the allergy being systemic, there could be a link,” suggests Isabella Annesi-Maesano. It is easy to imagine that the inflammation caused by the allergic reaction could lead to an increase in the sensitivity of the nerves and blood vessels in the head, which can contribute to the triggering of migraines.
Aggravating factors
To make matters worse, “pollens are more allergenic when there is pollution,” underlines Isabella Annesi-Maesano. However, there have been and still are pollution peaks these days, despite the cold.” By what mechanisms does this phenomenon occur? “Under the effect of pollutants, pollens open and release their highly allergenic content in excess,” explains the epidemiologist. This creates an aerosol of pollen in the air: a lot of pollen and ultrafine pollen particles are in suspension, so obviously we are more exposed to it.”
And in terms of symptoms, “pollution is bad not only because it fragments pollens and makes them more allergenic, but also because it weakens the mucous membranes by causing irritation which allows pollens to penetrate more easily and deeply into the airways. respiratory, describes Isabelle Annesi-Maesano. It’s a truly deleterious cocktail effect, which also creates new allergy sufferers. Because if the allergy is genetic, with entire families being genetic, pollution is a catalyst for pollen allergy. This is why, for example, we see many children allergic to birch pollen in consultations and in emergency rooms for asthma attacks when there are pollution peaks. We are now certain that pollen can cause asthma attacks.”
To this is added “the theory of membrane permeability, according to which pollution as well as other products generated by man are aggressive towards mucous membranes: since the 1960s, more than 360,000 have been invented new products: plastics, phthalates, solvents and other eternal pollutants, the famous PFAS, lists Isabella Annesi-Maesano. Ubiquitous products whose long-term effects have not been studied. But according to experimental studies, they potentially damage our mucous membranes, increasing their permeability to allergens and infections. All of this contributes greatly to the increase in allergies and autoimmune diseases.”
Good reflexes
In the meantime, a few good reflexes can help relieve the symptoms. “As pollens are most suspended in the air during the hottest times of the day, we ventilate our homes early in the morning and late in the evening, and we close the windows during the day,” recommends Dr. Branelec. And obviously, lunches in the park on the grass among the trees when you are allergic are best avoided.”
Another tip: “wearing glasses and a mask outdoors when there are many pollens is an effective filter. And brush your hair or even rinse it when you get home in the evening.”
If necessary, “we adapt patients’ treatments by increasing the quantities of antihistamines necessary to relieve them,” adds the allergist. There are also useful local treatments that patients tend to forget: in the nose and in the eyes, which can effectively complement the action of oral treatments, which must be followed carefully according to the recommendations of your allergist. “.