Nadine Schütz

Allergic

In spring, summer and fall hundreds of plants release powdery substances called pollen into the air to fertilize other plants of the same species. They travel with the wind and are thereby part of the air we breathe. The body’s immune system can mistake some of them for intruders and therefore activate certain defence mechanisms. This is called an allergic reaction. The most common symptoms of an allergic reaction caused by pollen are a runny nose, swollen and watery eyes, sneezing and coughing. Once an allergic reaction develops, it’s unlikely to go away again, but if the plant that causes it can be found out, there are certain steps one might take to minimize the exposure to that specific type of pollen.