Kochi Lifestyle Q&A : The theme this time is HAY FEVER!!!

   Sakura (cherry blossoms) is synonymous with spring in Japan. The Sakura around Kochi Castle are indeed beautiful. In the spring, the plants are freed from the cold winter and all blossom at once.

 

Q : My friend is in his 5th year in Japan and all of a sudden has developed hay fever. What’s going on? I’m worried the same might happen to me.
① What are some symptoms of hay fever?
② I don’t have any symptoms now, but I’m very worried about what will happen from here on out. Is there anything I can do to keep the symptoms away?
③ If I do develop hay fever, what should I do?

 

A : I am not an expert on hay fever, so I can’t comment on the medical aspects, but it’s possible that your friend accumulated pollen inside their body over five years and developed hay fever. Here, we will teach some hay fever prevention techniques you can practice on your own.
① Hay fever is a disorder in which allergic symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose occur as a result of pollen from plants such as cedar or cypress. Itchy eyes may occur as well.
② (Indoors) Keep doors and windows closed during hay fever season! Clean your room frequently! Don’t hang your laundry outside!
(Outdoors) Avoid going outdoors on days that there is a lot of pollen flying around! Make sure to be fully bundled up to not let any pollen in! Brush off pollen before entering your home! Once you get home, wash your hands, and rinse your mouth and sinuses.

 

A note:
how to rinse out your sinuses…using a plastic bottle you can fit into your nose, such as a dressing bottle, clear out your sinuses with salt water (1 liter of lukewarm water and about 1 teaspoon of salt). Try it in the bath!!

 

③ Visit an ear, nose, and throat doctor, an ear and nose doctor, or an eye doctor!!!

   You can see many different flowers throughout the four seasons in Japan. The fact that different types of pollen are flying about depending on the season means there are many types of hay fever. Out of those, the most common are the cedar and cypress pollen in spring (February to April). Kochi Prefecture’s forested area percentage is 84%, and cedar and cypress account for 60%. This means that hay fever countermeasures are essential in the spring! Let’s first put on our masks to prevent hay fever this season!