Sniff, sneeze, cough

This season many people think they have a cold. Do you have any of these symptoms?
- runny nose
- blocked nose
- dry throat
- dry cough
- headache
- feel tired
- red eyes
- itchy eyes

You might guess from the last two items on the list that these AREN'T the symptoms of a cold but are actually the signs of hayfever, which is prevalent in the early spring.

Most hayfever is caused by an allergy to pollen from either Japanese cedar trees (sugi) or cypress trees (hinoki). Cedars were planted in huge numbers all over Japan after WWII for timber. Those trees are now mature and release vast clouds of pollen this season. 2006 is supposed to have less pollen than last year, which was a record year. Less pollen or not, I am suffering.

The strangest thing about hayfever is it suddenly appears. It doesn't matter how old you are, please don't think "Lucky, I don't suffer from hayfever." That is what I thought until 7 years ago! Then one season, my allergy appeared ...

Nowadays you can get all kinds of medicine to alleviate the symptoms of hayfever but unfortunately there is no cure as yet. The best you can do is try not to come into contact with pollen. If you want to look really funny and suspicious, wear a hat, wrap-around glasses, a gauze mask and an overcoat!

Other than that, you just have to put up with your allergy and hope that May comes really quickly!

symptoms 徴候,症状, 症候
prevalent 広く行き渡った,流行した
vast 非常に広い, 広大な, 途方もなく大きい, 巨大な / （数・量・額が）膨大な, 莫大（ばくだい）な
alleviate 軽減する, 緩和する, 楽にする, 和らげる
put up with -- …を我慢する