by Melissa J Luther

Created on: June 23, 2009

Knowing how bad your allergies are going to flare up on a day-to-day basis can be a godsend for planning outdoor activities. There may not be much you can do about the family reunion picnic that was planned six months ago, but if your daily schedule allows some flexibility, you can plan other outdoor activities for days when pollen counts are low.

Sensitivity to pollen varies, so a count low enough to allow your friend to enjoy the outdoors without sneezing and watery eyes may still be too high for you. If you do not know at what level you react, you may want to consider tracking your outdoor activities for a few weeks and correlating how you feel with the pollen counts for those days. Once you know what levels trigger your symptoms, you will be better able to plan your days.

Here are some useful resources for determining your local pollen and mold spore counts.

* The National Allergy Bureau (NAB)

Part of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the NAB operates 78 pollen counting stations in the United States. Not all areas have a counting station, but NAB is trying to add more. According to the website, pollen counters are specially trained and spend 2 hours/day, 3 days/week counting pollen. NAB claims it offers the most accurate counts available.

The website is easy to use, and reports tree, weed and grass pollen counts as well as mold spore counts. To find counts at the station nearest you, select the "View Levels" button on the right side of the homepage. Then select your state and the city closest to you. Visitors will receive a basic report that includes counts and the predominant species accounting for the spores. For a more detailed report, you must register with the site. Registration is free and also allows you access to email alerts.

* Pollen.com

Pollen.com offers an overview map of the United States on the homepage, along with the five best and five worst cities each day. You can get more detailed information by clicking on the map and either selecting a city or entering your zip code. You will receive a four-day forecast, including a list of the predominant pollen.

Pollen.com also offers email alerts when pollen counts reach moderate levels. You must sign up with your email address and zip code and you will receive emails in the morning when pollen counts are forecast to be at least moderate. The alert will include the current day as well as the next day, so you can better plan your activities.

* Local news stations

Local television news reports also often report the day's pollen counts. The accuracy of these reports may vary, depending on where they are getting their information, but even just knowing if counts are going up or down can help you better manage your day.

The more information you have regarding pollen counts and your reactions to them, the more in control you will be with regards to preventing or minimizing symptoms. Use all the resources available to you to stay in control.

Learn more about this author, Melissa J Luther.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.