An allergy to pollen, also known as hay fever, involves an allergic reaction in the airways after inhaling pollen suspended in the air. You may then experience watery, red eyes, sneezing and a runny nose, among other symptoms.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction caused by pollen from grass, trees and all kinds of herbaceous plants carried by the wind. So in fact, the term 'hay fever' is a misnomer, as it has absolutely nothing to do with hay, nor with fever. Pollen consists of microscopic granules that develop in the stamens of flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. Sometimes they are so light that they can float through the air. Most pollen grains measure between 10 and 30 microns (one micron is one thousandth of a millimetre). Of the many thousands of plants that spread their pollen granules through the air, there are several hundred species that can cause an allergy. These are mainly plants with light-coloured blossoms that are not noticed by insects.
Grasses, trees, herbs, weeds and flowers produce pollen in different flowering periods. These different flowering periods form the so-called "pollen season". Alder and hazel trees flower as early as January/February and birch, for example, as early as March. The first grass pollen is spread by the wind as early as May. There are grasses that release pollen into September and herbs and weeds that bloom from May to November. So if you are allergic to these pollen, the pollen season can affect your overall health for much of the year. During the pollen season your symptoms will worsen particularly on warm days with moderate winds. Apps and online pages enable you to monitor the pollen forecast for current pollen loads.
Pollen from grasses, trees and plants can blow in from outside, load the indoor environment with allergens and thus cause hay fever symptoms in indoor areas as well
The hay fever season causes annoying symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes for many people every year.
Hay fever season extra tough for asthmatics
1 in 8 people in Europe suffers from grass pollen or tree pollen allergy. Up to 80% of people with asthma also have allergies such as hay fever. For many asthmatics, it does not stop at unpleasant symptoms because asthma and hay fever are closely related. Not only do they suffer from hay fever, but asthma symptoms also increase as a result. The nose and lungs together make up our airways. If our upper airways are irritated by pollen, the result can be that the lungs also join in and the asthma symptoms worsen. The combination of asthma with allergy is often under-recognised.
About a quarter of the European population suffer from allergies. For these individuals, hay fever is therefore one of the main reasons they contact a doctor.
Along with spring begins the "Hay Fever Season", when the first pollen (birch, oak, hornbeam, hazel and alder) is already spreading. People with a pollen allergy are familiar with the problem and avoid being outdoors unnecessarily, as far as work allows.
Overview of pollen allergy symptoms and complaints.
The symptoms of an allergy to grass pollen, tree pollen or herb and weed pollen are very similar to a cold.
The most common complaints are: runny nose, stuffy nose, sneezing, itching, watery and itchy eyes, ticklish cough, shortness of breath, asthma symptoms (difficulty breathing, wheezing or coughing), fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep and headache.
Source: allesoverallergie.nl
Hay fever sufferers usually also experience a lot of symptoms when working both from home or at the office. The cause? The pollen that causes the hay fever symptoms enters through the smallest gaps in the home and office, such as window and door cracks, but is also carried in through clothing. All these pollen particles then accumulate in the indoor air, making the concentration of pollution indoors and in offices often higher than in nature.
Humidity can also affect the pollen concentration in the indoor air. In general, a higher humidity will lead to lower pollen concentrations in indoor air, while lower humidity can actually lead to higher pollen concentrations.
If the air inside homes, offices and public buildings is dry, pollen can remain suspended in the air longer and spread more easily in all indoor spaces, which can increase the pollen concentration everywhere in indoor air.
The pollen floating in the indoor environment enters the airways when inhaled, resulting in a runny nose, teary eyes and fatigue. And perhaps even lower concentration levels and poor sleep. So even in one's own home, workplace or public buildings, a hay fever sufferer is not protected from the unpleasant effects of pollen inhalation. The pollen floating in the indoor environment enters the airways when inhaled, resulting in a runny nose, teary eyes and fatigue. And perhaps even lower concentration levels and poor sleep. So even in one's own home, workplace or public buildings, a hay fever sufferer is not protected from the unpleasant effects of pollen inhalation.
The pollen floating in the indoor environment enters the airways when inhaled, resulting in a runny nose, teary eyes and fatigue. And perhaps even lower concentration levels and poor sleep. So even in one's own home, workplace or public buildings, a hay fever sufferer is not protected from the unpleasant effects of pollen inhalation.
Clean Air Optima® air purifiers feature Pollen Prevention Filter Technology based on ORIGINAL (TRUE) HEPA filter technology of class H13, complemented by state-of-the-art multiple filtration technology and CADR certification*, thereby ensuring pollen-laden indoor air is transformed into healthy breathing air.
Pre-filters capture large pollen grains and coarse dust: dust particles and lint.
TRUE HEPA filters, HEPA filter class H13, with nano silver coating, purify micro-fine particles such as pollen grains up to 0.3 micrometres (0.3 µm) from the air with 99.97% efficiency, and mould with 100% and tobacco smoke with 98.90% efficiency. Most pollen grains measure between 10 and 30 micrometres (1.0 µm - 3.0 µm).
Powerful ozone-free ionisers disperse negative ions throughout the room, thereby removing pollutants such as pollen from indoor air and neutralising odours. The negative ions attach themselves to pollen, dust particles, micro-organisms and other undesired substances in the air and bind them together. In this way, the particles become heavier than the air and fall down or are filtered from the air by the air purifier.
The unique range includes Clean Air Optima® high-end SMART air purifiers with ultra-quiet operation, an energy-efficient design and a sensor-controlled 6-way Airflow System. These effective Clean Air Optima® mobile air purifiers can therefore purify up to almost 100 percent of all health-threatening substances, fine dust, gases, vapours and unpleasant odours, allergy triggers such as pollen, bacteria and viruses, and Covid-19 aerosols from contaminated indoor air.
The digital monitoring of the SMART air purifiers provides automatic and precise feedback on the current air quality in the indoor space where the Clean Air Optima® air purifier is installed.
*supplier-independent laboratory test for CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) certification. Measured in a room of up to 20.4m²
Clean Air Optima® 2in1 (SMART) ultrasonic humidifiers with ioniser air cleaning ensure your indoor spaces have the right relative humidity, healthy breathing air, pollen reduction, a comfortable indoor climate and interior damage prevention!
The Clean Air Optima® 2in1 (SMART) ultrasonic humidifiers with ioniser air purification include models with multi-functionality:
Ultrasonic air humidification reduces the risk of inhaling suspended pollen into the
airways
Ioniser for air cleaning reduces the pollen concentration in the indoor space
UV-C lamp for spray sterilisation
PTC heating element for warm humidification
Aromatising the interior with Clean Air Optima® essential oils
Top Filling: the water tank can be easily and quickly removed for filling with water
under the tap. The humidifier can also be filled with water from the top
(Top Filling).
Simple operation: via the control panel, remote control and/or with the Clean Air Optima®
App
The Clean Air Optima® 2in1 hybrid air washer system offers simultaneous effective humidification and air cleaning in your indoor spaces. The combination of four proven technologies of cold evaporation for humidification, air washing for purifying air, antibacterial water filter and activated carbon pre-filter ensure pollen reduction as well as a fresh and healthy indoor climate.
How the hybrid system of Clean Air Optima® air washers operates
These air washers operate without filter mats. The contaminated and dry indoor air drawn in by the fan is first passed through the activated carbon pre-filter and then over the rotor with humidifying discs rotating in the water bath. The humidifying discs have a honeycomb structure for intensive humidification. The pre-filtered air is washed and cleaned naturally, similar to a rainstorm or waterfall.
The smallest particles of up to 10 micrometres are bound and separated in the water. This humidifies the air and frees it from pollen, dust and particle-bound odours that can no longer be released to the indoor air. The 3-position adjustable fan airflow carries the moist and clean air into the interior via the top of the unit.
The air washer technology used is suitable for soft tap water and has no risk of emitting unwanted lime particles into the room.
With their compact and beautifully styled design and neutral colour scheme, the efficient Clean Air Optima® air purifiers, humidifiers and air washers for pollen prevention can fit any interior.