Protect yourself from pollen

Spring means some warmer days after the long winter months, and unfortunately it also means an increase in asthma and hay fever – but there are ways to protect yourself.

Grass pollen season begins this month and runs through to December, with thunderstorm asthma a bigger risk over the next three months.

Thunderstorm asthma is believed to be triggered by a unique combination of high amounts of grass pollen in the air and a certain type of thunderstorm, and can trigger severe asthma symptoms for asthmatics and hay fever sufferers.

The Better Health Channel, which is run by the Victorian Department of Health, has provided some simple steps on how you can lower the risk of thunderstorm asthma.

For starters, monitor the VicEmergency app, which provides an epidemic thunderstorm asthma risk forecast. When there’s a storm, stay indoors, especially during the winds that precede a storm.

Even when you’re symptom free, it’s important to take any preventative medication you have as directed, and of course, carry your reliever and ensure you know how to manage an asthma attack.

If you have an asthma action plan, follow it – alternatively, you can use the four steps of asthma first aid: sit upright, give four separate puffs of a blue/grey reliever puffer, wait four minutes, and call Triple Zero for an ambulance if breathing does not return to normal.

The epidemic thunderstorm asthma risk forecast, as well as up to date grass pollen count and grass pollen forecast information, is also available on the Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast website at www.melbournepollen.com.au.