[For General Audience] Little-Known Trivia and Fun Facts About Hay Fever
Every year when pollen season arrives, many people struggle with sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes.
Hay fever, which afflicts many Japanese people, is no longer someone else’s problem.
Surprisingly, this very familiar condition hides plenty of little-known trivia and fun facts that may make you say, “Really?” In this article, we’ve gathered a wide range of general-interest trivia and tidbits about hay fever.
Many of them are useful for everyday prevention just by knowing them, so whether you suffer from hay fever or not, be sure to check them out!
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[For General Audiences] Lesser-Known Trivia & Fun Facts About Hay Fever (21–30)
The mechanism by which hay fever develops is the “seesaw theory.”NEW!
There’s a well-known “cup theory” that says accumulated pollen taken into the body builds up until it overflows and triggers hay fever.
However, if that were true, we wouldn’t be able to explain the treatment approach of ingesting small amounts of pollen to alleviate symptoms.
That’s why the currently mainstream idea is the “seesaw theory.” The seesaw theory holds that when immune strength declines, more pollen enters the body, and that increased load triggers hay fever.
In other words, balancing the immune system becomes a strategy for addressing hay fever.
Cold infections tend to worsen hay fever symptoms.
It’s said that catching a cold can make hay fever symptoms worse.
The reason is that when you catch a cold, the mucous membranes in your throat become sore and more sensitive.
Conversely, when hay fever has already irritated your mucous membranes, you’re also more likely to develop cold symptoms.
So if you have hay fever, take care of your health on a daily basis to avoid catching a cold.
In the worst case, it can progress to cough-variant asthma.
As preventive measures, wearing a mask to avoid inhaling pollen and boosting your immunity with remedies such as Kampo (traditional Japanese herbal medicine) are effective.
There is hay fever caused by grape pollen.
Hay fever is often associated with pollen from trees used for lumber, such as cedar and cypress, but fruits and other plants also release pollen as they grow, so pollen allergies caused by them exist as well.
When you hear about someone who grew grapes developing hay fever symptoms, it makes you cautious about plants in general, doesn’t it? That’s why it’s recommended to learn not only about the plants commonly known to cause hay fever but also about related factors.
Hay fever is also linked to oral allergy syndrome, so getting tested could help keep you safe.
Exhaust fumes can worsen hay fever.
Even though trees like Japanese cedar and cypress are supposed to be in the mountains, it seems that more people suffer from hay fever in urban areas than in mountainous regions.
It’s said that hay fever symptoms are influenced not only by pollen but also by the amount of exhaust gases in the air.
Exhaust emissions and PM2.5 are known as adjuvant substances, and when they adhere to pollen, they further exacerbate allergic symptoms.
This topic makes us think not only about plants that disperse pollen but also about environmental issues such as controlling exhaust emissions.
There is an injection that suppresses hay fever symptoms.
There is an injection that can relieve the suffering of hay fever.
It’s called steroid therapy, and its powerful anti-inflammatory effects can ease hay fever symptoms.
What’s more, the benefits can last for several months with a single shot.
Hearing that might make you want to try it, but getting it lightly is not advisable.
That’s because steroid injections can have side effects such as glaucoma, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
For this reason, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has issued cautions regarding steroid injections.
If you’re interested, be sure to consult your regular doctor thoroughly.