What is a Pollen Count & Why you should know about it if you have a Pollen Allergy?

Pollen is a fine powdery substance that is typically yellow, consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower or from a male cone on the plant.

A Pollen Allergy occurs when there is an immune response to pollen from grasses, flowers, weeds or trees. A Pollen Allergy commonly triggers Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever) and also may aggravate Asthma (for people with pre-existing conditions).

A pollen count tells you how much pollen is in the air by sampling and measuring specific pollen grains from-

• Trees
• Grasses
• Mould spores
• Weeds

This is done through an air-sampling device such as a Burkard spore trap, that is used to capture airborne pollen on a glass slide, which is stained with a dye & counted under a microscope.

Image of a Burkard spore trap.

These air-sampling devices are placed in pollen counting stations, that are found all over the world. In fact, did you know there are many pollen counting stations right here in every Australian state and territory.

If you have a pollen allergy it's helpful to check online to locate your local pollen counting station, as the pollen count depends on where you live due to the plants and trees that grow in the area and where the winds are blowing from.

Many pollen counters show what type of pollen and mould spores are in the air for that area, which gives you a more accurate reading to manage your Pollen Allergy.

And if you're not sure about what Pollen you are allergic to, through allergy testing such as blood test or skin prick test, you can find out exactly what type of pollen you are allergic to, and look for that particular pollen type on the pollen count at a pollen counting station near your location.

All this to help you plan ahead and manage your pollen allergy.

The information provided on Allergy Life Australia is to generally educate and inform you about living with allergies, intolerances and conditions, and is not intended as medical instruction or as a substitute for diagnosis, examination and advice by a qualified health care provider.