What causes a tree pollen allergy?

Tree pollen is a very fine powder-like substance released by certain plants and trees as part of their reproductive cycle.

If your body falsely recognises the pollen as a potential threat, it may trigger your immune system to release a certain antibody and cause a wide range of symptoms (but more on those later!). This is what’s known as an allergic reaction.

Once produced, tree pollen can spread easily through the air by the wind and insects.3 For people who are allergic, accidentally inhaling pollen may cause your nose, eyes, throat and sinuses to become swollen, irritated and inflamed.

So, which types of trees release this type of pollen, we hear you ask?

Well, in the UK, birch, hazel, alder, poplar, ash and oak trees all produce tree pollen. But of these, the silver birch is by far the most likely to cause an allergic reaction, affecting approximately 25% of hayfever sufferers!

Tree pollen allergy symptoms

If you have a tree pollen allergy, you might develop symptoms of hayfever (allergic rhinitis) within minutes of coming into contact with tree pollen. This may lead you to experience symptoms like:

• Coughing and sneezing
• A runny or blocked nose
• Itchy, red or watery eyes
• Feeling tired and fatigued
• Headaches
• An itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• Earache
• Loss of smell
• Facial pain (around the sides of the head and forehead)

You may find that your symptoms become most noticeable between February and June if you have a tree pollen allergy. This is because the tree pollen season usually kickstarts the pollen calendar between these months.

The start of the pollen season and the daily pollen count can also vary depending on factors like the climate, how windy it is and the amount of daylight we get. This may then influence how long hayfever symptoms can last – from a matter of days for some people to months in others.

As such, it’s important to speak to your doctor for advice if you’re concerned about any of your allergy symptoms or would like further information.

How do I know what’s causing my allergy?

Hayfever is a common allergy that’s estimated to affect 25% of adults and up to 15% of children in the UK. But how do you know whether your hayfever is caused by tree pollen specifically?

If you find that you experience allergic rhinitis after spending a lot of time outside (especially during the spring), this could be because you’re allergic to tree pollen.

While you can help manage your symptoms by speaking to your pharmacist, you may need to speak to your doctor if you require further support.

To identify the exact cause of your allergy, your doctor may arrange some allergy tests for you. This may include what’s known as a skin prick or patch test, where a small amount of an allergen (something that causes an allergic reaction) is put on your skin to see if it reacts.

They may also take a blood test to check for any allergens that could be causing your symptoms.6 Since tree pollen is just one type of pollen, this could involve testing you for the other major types – grass pollen and weed pollen.

Tree pollen allergy risk factors

Pollen allergies are becoming more and more common. This may be partly due to the impact of climate change, with more frequent and extreme weather events leading to longer pollen seasons and poorer indoor air quality conditions.

However, the main risk factor for developing hayfever is having a family history of allergies, asthma or eczema.

Tree pollen allergy complications

If you have asthma and are allergic to tree pollen, you might find that your asthma symptoms either become triggered or worsen when experiencing hayfever. This can lead to symptoms such as:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain

While hayfever doesn't normally pose a serious threat to health, it can result in sinusitis – a condition that causes your sinuses to become swollen and inflamed.

Sensitivity to birch pollen may also cause some people to experience a hypersensitivity reaction to fruits, vegetables and nuts, known as oral allergy syndrome.

However, having the right treatment and prevention techniques in place can help you to manage your symptoms.

How to treat and manage a tree pollen allergy

Experiencing the symptoms of a tree pollen allergy can be itchy and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments available to help alleviate symptoms when they first appear.

Clarinaze® Allergy Control Nasal Spray is a steroid nasal spray that can help reduce hayfever symptoms like sneezing or having a runny nose.

Meanwhile, Clarityn® Allergy Tablets is an antihistamine designed to offer 24-hour relief from symptoms caused by over 150 indoor and outdoor allergens, including tree pollen, and can help treat symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes and having a runny nose.

Both of these products are available over the counter in your local pharmacy and from various retailers. By speaking to a pharmacist in person, they will be able to help you find the right treatment for your specific symptoms.  

If you find that your symptoms don’t improve after taking medicines from the pharmacy, speak to your doctor for their advice, as you might require an alternative treatment.

Tree pollen allergy prevention techniques

While the treatments listed above won’t be able to cure your hayfever, they may help to relieve your symptoms.

Reducing your potential tree pollen exposure is also important. Here are some tips you could potentially try:

• Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly around your nostrils
• Shower and change your clothes after spending time outside
• Keep your windows and doors closed (where possible)
• Vacuum regularly (ideally using a hoover with a high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA , filter)
• Dust using a damp cloth
• Avoid cutting or walking on grass
• Stay indoors when the pollen count is high
• Regularly monitor the pollen forecast
• Don’t smoke or spend time around smoke (as it could exacerbate symptoms)
• Don’t dry your clothes outside

Tree pollen is often released during the spring, contributing to approximately 25% of people in the UK experiencing hayfever symptoms. However, it’s not the only cause of allergies.

To learn more about the different causes of allergies, including grass pollen and pets like cats and dogs, check out the full range of articles available on our ‘About Allergies’ page.