Doctor cautions over cotton tree pollen season

Doctor cautions over cotton tree pollen season

2024-05-06

During the May fruiting season, the streets of Nantou’s Caotun are coated in fluffy white tufts, like a blanket of snowfall. The sight of these cotton tree fibers is soothing for some, but for many others, they’re a dreaded allergen that causes severe asthma. They even affect visibility for motorists traveling along the stretch of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway through Changhua.

As the wind picks up, bits of white fluff take to the air and drift down like snowflakes.

They settle back onto the ground, only to fly up once more as a car passes.

Lin Yi-chun
Forestry Agency technician
The seedpods break open when mature to reveal seeds with cotton-like fiber, which can travel easily on the wind.

When fruiting season arrives, Caotun in Nantou transforms into a May winter wonderland. But although it may look beautiful, it’s miserable for those with allergies.

Kao Chien-kai
Nantou Hospital immunologist
Respiratory allergens can cause trouble breathing, like nasal allergies. In slightly worse cases it could affect respiration, causing wheezing and coughing.

Doctors suggest wearing a face mask when going outside. If experiencing severe asthma or chest tightness, it’s best to seek immediate medical attention. But that’s not the only trouble caused by cotton tree seeds.

When driving along the Sun Yat-sen Freeway through Changhua’s Beidou Township, white fluff rises from both sides of the road. Tossed into the air by passing cars, the dancing flakes coat drivers’ windshields, obstructing their view.

Resident
It’s actually a little bit dangerous for those of us driving.

Chen Wan-yi
Highway trooper
Motorists driving at high speeds should avoid getting distracted and pay attention to the road.

Fluffy cotton seeds blanketing the ground are a sight to behold. But at the same time, their effects on people’s health and safety should not be ignored.

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"木棉花絮"滿街飄揚如白雪紛飛醫:過敏體質注意

2024-05-06

5月進入木棉花結果期，南投草屯，滿街棉絮飄揚，有如白雪紛飛，整片棉花覆蓋草皮，讓不少民眾直呼好療癒，不過卻也讓醫師認為"不太妙"，因為這全都是吸入性過敏原，嚴重可能會誘發氣喘。另外，在國道1號彰化路段，也因為滿天飛的木棉花絮，造成駕駛人視線受到影響。

街道颳起陣陣強風，白色棉絮，從高空飄下，有如下起白雪。

落下的棉花，就像積雪般，覆蓋草皮，車子一經過，再度飄散在空中。

[[林保署南投分署經營企劃科技士林怡君]]
“碩果在成熟的時候會開裂，碩果裡面的種子還有棉毛，就很容易隨風飛散”

正值木棉花結果期，南投草屯出現"五月雪"美景，滿天飛的棉絮，雖然賞心悅目，卻也讓不少過敏兒好困擾。

[[部立南投醫院免疫風濕科醫師高堅凱]]
“吸入性的過敏原，造成呼吸道症狀，就包括鼻子過敏，再更深一點的話，就有可能會呼吸道的過敏，譬如說會誘發氣喘、咳嗽”

醫師建議，這段期間外出最好配戴口罩，若是出現嚴重氣喘、胸悶，最好盡速就醫，同樣是木棉花造成的困擾，還有這。

國道1號彰化北斗段，白色棉絮從兩側襲來，汽車高速行駛，一路上就像有滿滿"雪花"，朝擋風玻璃一湧而上，讓駕駛人視線也受阻。

[[民眾]]
“其實這樣子，對我們駕駛人在行車安全上，多少會有一些危險”

[[國道員林分隊小隊長陳萬益]]
“呼籲用路人駕車行駛高速公路，勿欣賞美景，並應注意車前狀況”

木棉花絮滿街湧現，讓不少人又驚又喜，但同時間，也讓人擔憂影響身體，甚至是危害到行車安全，成了最美的困擾。

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