hayfever/allergic rhinitis

[sulu]

It is far too early to be suffering from either pollen or hay allergy but I'm deffinately suffering from something. I think it is because of the very dry weather and when walking off road I am walking on dry leaves, this combined with the pollution from too many fires :!:
Just a reminder for any one walking early who may expect to avoid the normal triggers of rhinitis
NB: I am in Galicia, preparing for next weeks camino.
Sue

 

[sillydoll]

I returned from walking the Camino in September with bad sinus infections that took two months and big gun anti-biotics to clear.
The path through the forests of Galicia wqas dry and there are huge swathes being cut down to make way for a new road to Lugo. The air was full of floating tree dust.
If you are - or ever have been - allergic to anything, take antihistamins with you. Different grasses, pollens, dust mites can set off allergies.

 

[unadara]

Sil
Which Camino were you on ? Del Norte ? I have flight booked for 19th April, hope the coastal route will be allergy free ? Very interested in this post as I tend towards asthma but have only had 1/2 uses in last few years of inhaler, but something like the trees might be enough to send me into stress. Have you suffered ill health ever before on your caminos ?

 

[sulu]

Hi unadara,
I also have very mild asthma, I almost never need ventolin but I do when I am walking. I walked the Frances in March/April and was taking frequent ventolin by the time I got to Santiago. I believed it was due to the unaccustomed excercise but there are many fruit trees and spring flowers in bloom at that time, this will be the same for the coast route, it depends what triggers you. You can usually buy medication over the counter here but it would be safer to be prepared.
Sue

 

[Tia Valeria]

We take our hay fever medication with us, but have found that we don't need it in Spain . I would prefer to be safe and carry it in case of need. This has been the Norte,Primitivo and Inglés - all in May.

We expect to be on the Primitivo as far as Casa de Ponte and then the Francés from Palas de Rei later in the year. The dust from the roadworks (Santiago to Lugo)might cause a problem, can you be a little more exact as to their location please Sue. It sounds as though a scarf used as a nose/mouth mask might be a good idea and keep the dust out of our lungs.

 

[sulu]

The dust from the roadworks (Santiago to Lugo)might cause a problem, can you be a little more exact as to their location please Sue

It was Sil who commented on the roadworks, I haven't been that way recently.
Sue

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks Sue. We'll hope that Sil reads this thread again, also that maybe the roadworks have moved on to another stage and area. Terry encountered roadworks in places in 2009 and although dusty that wasn't a problem, the diversions weren't always well signed which was.
I think there was a thread about the airport and roadworks but I can't find it. Have to look again so as not to put this off topic.

Just to get back to topic. Terry didn't find the dust/pollen a problem on the Norte/Primitivo in April/May 2009 at which time in UK we would be suffering.
Buen Camino

 

[sulu]

Terry didn't find the dust/pollen a problem on the Norte/Primitivo in April/May 2009 at which time in UK we would be suffering.

My aim in the original post was to draw attention to the very strange conditions this year, this winter has been very, very dry. I wouldn't normally expect to suffer from 'hayfever' at the moment, but I wouldn't expect to be walking on dry leaves in Galicia, in February! It may rain, it probably will, but in the meantime it is very dry here, also there is much more smoke than normal for this time of the year, conditions vary, this year is strange. I just wanted to draw attention to this
Sue

 

[Tia Valeria]

We have had a very dry winter here too, but with some heavy rain at times. Hopefully you will get rain and the dust settled soon. My comment about our May walking was meant also for unadara.
Am I right in thinking that the north coast and northern Galicia has actually had more rain than nearer to the Portugese border?

We'll be sure to pack our hayfever meds in case the conditions you describe are still bad in a few months time.

 

[sulu]

Am I right in thinking that the north coast and northern Galicia has actually had more rain than nearer to the Portugese border?

As far as I'm aware previous fronts came in from the East and seemed to stop at Galicia. Cantabrica and Asturias got rain and snow. There is a front now, the weather forecast said 'local moderate rainfalls'. I suppose that means that some places will miss out. We've had a shower, it lasted less than a minute, but I'm sure it did some good I'm at 890 metres, we kind of expect to get wet sometimes!
Sue