Gardening With Asthma And Hayfever

Get your green fingers back with our Gardening with Asthma resources!

1 in 5 Irish people have hayfever (allergic rhinitis), a condition that causes inflammation of the nasal passages in response to otherwise harmless substances such as pollen, house dust mites or pet fur.

Hayfever can occur all year round or, for some people, only during the summer when certain types of pollen begin to circulate.

This can be a major problem for people with asthma, as the symptoms of hayfever (or the substances which trigger it) can also cause a flare-up of asthma symptoms.

The garden is the heart of the Irish summer and sadly, many people with asthma and/or hayfever find themselves missing out on outdoor activities when the pollen is high.

We developed our Gardening with Asthma resources to combat this problem and help the 376,000 Irish people with asthma to get back to the garden.

Top Tips for Gardening with Asthma

Check the pollen forecast at asthma.ie before venturing outside. Try to stay indoors if the pollen count in your area is high.
Shut all your windows before gardening to keep dislodged pollen and dust out of your home.
Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes.
Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen.
Make sure your asthma is well controlled and take your regular preventer medication, as prescribed.
Wear a hat to stop pollen getting caught in your hair and brush your hair after gardening.
Shower, wash your hair and change your clothes if you have been outside for an extended period.
If you have a skin allergy, keep your hands, arms and legs covered when gardening.
Using an air purifier indoors can help reduce the airborne allergens present inside the home, even when the pollen count is high outdoors.