How does the environment affect our allergies?

25th January 2023

How does the environment affect our allergies?

We can definitely be allergic to triggers in our environment. Pet dander, dust, mites, pollen – these are all in our surrounding environments and can cause varying levels of discomfort and reactions. But outside of being the source of our allergies, can the world around us affect them in other ways?

That’s not an unpopular theory, and there are plenty of studies out there into the effects of the environment on our health. From pollution to climate change, there are people looking into how these changes impact our health. So let’s look at some of these ideas and see what their link with allergies might be.

Pollution

There is very little to suggest that air pollution leads to people developing allergies, but many studies have shown that it can exacerbate them. It makes sense; smoggy air is likely to impact respiratory allergies in particular. One study showed that particulates in the air increases asthma symptoms. Another found a link to NO2 levels and emergency room visits of children with asthma.

It has also been shown to affect allergic rhinitis, which is when your nose gets irritated by something you’re allergic to. Examples would include pollen, pet dander, and dust. Research found that living near major roads increased the odds of babies having runny noses and sneezing during their first year of life.

Climate change

How can climate change impact our allergies? Well, some believe it is leading to longer allergy seasons. Here’s how these typically work. Trees, grasses, and weeds will release their pollen at different times of the year, meaning people with sensitivities to these kinds of pollen will react to its presence in the air. It isn’t a huge deal, as it doesn’t last long.

Except climate change seems to be making these pollen-releasing periods longer. So people with allergies will experience symptoms both earlier than usual and longer than they used to. Not to mention that climate change has been linked with increased concentrations of air pollution.

Are we too clean?

Another popular hypothesis is that we aren’t helping ourselves by sanitising the environments around us. Now, this one isn’t as simple. There has long been a theory known as the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ that says by cleaning away a range of bacteria, pollen, and dander, we’re reducing the chances of children coming into contact with them and familiarising their immune systems.

So as they get older and they do come across these allergens, their body doesn’t know how to react and goes into overdrive. But some take issue with this since it tries to draw a link between cleanliness and allergies. These people say that focusing on hygiene is too broad, and that it’s more about specific microbes that might not get as much exposure. And by looking too closely at hygiene, we could be at risk of promoting good cleaning habits.

What can we do to help? All you can do is continue to do your part for the environment and protect yourself as much as possible. Keep your home clean and free of anything that might aggravate your symptoms. And if you ever need any advice, we’re always just a phone call away.

Get in touch with our specialists by calling 02031 433 449. If you haven’t already done so, you can register as a patient with us by clicking here.

How climate change could make your summer allergies worse

24th June 2018

How climate change could make your summer allergies worse

The evidence for anthropogenic (human-driven) climate change is undeniable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their most recent report on climate change, the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, in 2014. The IPCC states that if we don’t take immediate action, we run the risk of doing irreversible damage.

Climate change has already started taking its toll on the health and well-being of the poorest people first. But, when it comes to the impacts of climate change on health, the implications it has for allergies is rarely discussed. This is unsurprising because the connection may not be immediately apparent. But, it is there nevertheless, particularly for summer allergies.

What summer allergies could be affected by climate change?

When referring to summer allergies, the first one people think about is often hay fever. Hay fever is a massive problem for up to 30% of adults and 40% of children in the UK, especially during the summer. But, other summer allergies exist. People allergic to bee, wasp, and other insect stings need to be particularly vigilant when the weather gets warmer. Also, seasonal produce available in the summer can cause a variety of allergy symptoms in people with oral allergy syndrome.

What is climate change?

The main causes of anthropogenic climate change are the greenhouse gases that humans release into the atmosphere. These include carbon dioxide as a result of burning fossil fuels and high levels of deforestation, methane, which is particularly problematic due to the meat industry, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons, to name a few.

These act as a blanket of insulation around the earth allowing heat from the sun to come in, which then has a difficult time escaping. This is causing the average temperature of the planet to increase and is, therefore, upsetting the delicate balance of the earth’s ecosystems, ultimately causing chaos and changing climates.

What has this got to do with your allergies?

As this climate change occurs, many countries are beginning to experience changing weather patterns. This is terrible news for people with summer allergies. Summers are starting earlier, becoming hotter, and becoming more unpredictable or more prolonged. This means the insects causing your allergies are coming out sooner as the weather regulates their behaviour. The flowers that emit the allergenic pollen that causes you so many uncomfortable symptoms are blooming earlier. As a result, people will be hit by the effects of hay-fever earlier and for more extended periods of time.

As climates heat up, species of plants and insects, that once found Europe inhabitable, will start to make their way onto the continent from warmer areas as they can now survive there. This brings the potential for a whole host of new allergens to start affecting allergy prone people across the world. These factors ultimately mean that increasing temperatures, and changes in seasonal weather patterns, will lead to people with summer allergies suffering earlier, and longer than ever before. Scientists have already started to document the effects of this in some cases. Plants in the UK are blooming earlier now than in the last 250 years.

Protecting ourselves from the effects of global warming starts with reducing your carbon footprint. But, this won’t happen overnight. All the while your summer allergies are still affecting you. London Allergy and Immunology Centre will provide you with the best treatments available. Your allergies will no longer get in the way of your life. Book an appointment with us today by calling 02031 433 449 or visit our website.