In February, we started hearing people complaining that their noses were stuffy and their eyes were itchy.
We talked about what measures to take before cedar and cypress pollen starts flying in earnest.
This year, most areas have the same or slightly higher numbers than usual.
The Japan Weather Association announced on the 18th of last month a prediction of how much pollen will be scattered from cedar and cypress trees.
Compared to previous years,
▽Shikoku and Kanto-Koshin are expected to be at 100%, which is the same as usual.
▽Kyushu, Chugoku, Kinki, Tokai, Hokuriku, and Tohoku are expected to be slightly higher at 120-140%.
▽Hokkaido is expected to be at over 200%, which is extremely high. Masu.
Also, compared to last spring,
▽ Shikoku, Chugoku, Hokuriku, and Kanto-Koshin are low at 50-60%
▽ Kyushu and Kinki are slightly lower at 70%
▽ Tokai is 90%, expected to be the same as last year
▽ Tohoku is 150% However, there are large differences depending on the region, with few in the southern Tohoku region and very high in the northern region.In
Hokkaido, it is expected to be extremely high at over 600%.
According to the association, pollen is produced during the previous year's summer, and due to last summer's intense heat and many days with high temperatures, the amount of pollen has decreased in most areas from Kyushu to Tohoku. This means that the forecast is that it will be at or slightly higher than usual.
The peak of dispersal is from late February.
Regarding the peak periods of pollen dispersion,
cedar pollen peaks
from late February in Fukuoka, Takamatsu, and Tokyo,
early March in Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Kanazawa, and Sendai, and
cypress pollen from late March to April. The amount of cypress pollen scattered in Sendai is low, and there is no expectation that there will be a clear peak.
People who buy medicine
Drugstores in Osaka City have been setting up special corners for hay fever prevention since early in the new year, with 182 types of products on display, including eye drops and nasal washes.
According to the store, the number of customers purchasing medicines has been increasing since the middle of last month, and on this day, many customers came to buy medicine one after another.
"I didn't have anything like that until last year, but they say that hay fever can come on suddenly. I don't have a fever, and my nose has started to feel really itchy."
This man, who suffers from hay fever, seems to have serious circumstances.
"My eyes are starting to get a little itchy. I've been taking medicine before the New Year's holidays.My son is taking an exam and I don't want him to bother me by sneezing, so I take care of him beforehand.I really don't like it. Yo. I want to be a person without hay fever.”
Three points to prevent hay fever
At clinics in Osaka Prefecture, the number of patients complaining of hay fever symptoms has begun to increase since the middle of last month, about two weeks earlier than usual.
Since the beginning of this month, about 10 people have been visiting the hospital each day, with people complaining of symptoms coming in for seven days.
Doctor Yoshiaki Okuno of the clinic points out three points to prevent hay fever from now on.
The first is to make sure to wear a mask.
Second, don't let pollen into your house.
When you get home, it's important to brush off pollen from your clothes as much as possible, and don't dry your laundry outside.
Thirdly, I want you to go to a medical institution and receive treatment before your symptoms get worse.
Dr. Yoshiaki Okuno
: ``From the end of this month to next month, as the amount of pollen scattered increases, I think the number of people who will develop symptoms will definitely increase.The symptoms are similar to a cold, so if you feel uncomfortable, please see a doctor as soon as possible. It is important to treat the symptoms with drugs that suppress the symptoms.