This summer has so far proven to be one of the best in many years, with temperatures set to hit the late 20s and even early 30s in some places this week. However, with pollen levels set to reach their peak also, people with both asthma and hay fever are being warned to watch out for ‘possibly serious escalations' of their asthma symptoms.

According to the Asthma Society of Ireland (ASI), managing asthma can become more difficult over the summer months because of hay fever. Currently, around 376,000 people with asthma in Ireland also have hay fever, which is an allergic reaction to pollen.

While most are affected by grass pollen, pollen from trees and flowers can also be a problem for some sufferers. Symptoms can include a runny nose, watery/itchy eyes, sinus pain, sneezing, coughing and headaches.

However aside from this, hay fever symptoms can also cause asthma to flare up. In some cases, these flare-ups can lead to serious asthma attacks.

According to ASI chief executive, Sarah O'Connor, for those who suffer from hay fever, summer 2018 ‘has left them feeling truly miserable, with pollen levels particularly high for weeks now'.

"These unusual pollen counts are as a result of our prolonged cold winter and extended sunny and hot start to the summer. These conditions combined have meant that many plants had been delayed in flowering and then released their pollen all at once rather than at a normal slower rate," she explained.

She pointed out that this week is expected to be ‘a perfect storm', as grass pollen levels tend to reach their peak at this time of year anyway, but because of the current good weather, these levels are expected to go even higher than usual.

"Already our pollen tracker shows that pollen levels were at what we consider to be their highest over the weekend in some areas in Ireland, and they are set to continue to escalate. People really need to take care and manage their hay fever symptoms and for those who also have asthma, they really need to manage their health," Ms O'Connor warned.

She urged people to check the Pollen Tracker on the ASI website here, as this provides an update of pollen levels across the provinces each day, and a predictor for the following day.

She also urged people to read the ASI information booklet, Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis, as this provides information about how to better manage asthma and hay fever. It can be viewed here.

The ASI has also produced a booklet called Gardening with Asthma and Hay Fever, which focuses on how to create an allergy friendly garden. It can be viewed here.

"While people can be quite passive about asthma and hay fever and sometimes accept feeling very unwell as their normal summer experience, some straightforward measures can help to keep these health problems in control and keep people with asthma safe," Ms O'Connor added.

Further help and advice is available on ASI's free nurse adviceline. Call 1800 44 54 64. The society also suggests the following tips to help people get through hay fever season:

-Talk to your doctor or pharmacist now about taking medication to prevent/reduce symptoms. Do not wait until you feel unwell
-Keep an eye daily on our the Pollen Tracker
-Keep windows closed in your bedroom at night
-Keep windows and doors closed when the pollen count is high
-Stay indoors as much as possible on high pollen days
-Stay away from grassy areas, especially when grass is freshly cut
-Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
-Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
-Shower, wash your hair and change your clothes if you have been outside for an extended period
-Avoid drying clothes outdoors, or shaking them outdoors before bringing them in
-Minimise your contact with pets who have been outdoors and are likely to be carrying pollen
-Consider a purifier with a built-in air quality sensor to remove allergens and pollutants from the air

For more information on the ASI, click here