Seasonal Hay Fever

Hay Fever, also known as Seasonal Rhinitis, is a very common condition that affects up to 1 in 5 people at some point in their life, according to the NHS. People usually start suffering from hay fever during their childhood or teenage years, but you can also start developing it as an adult.

Hay fever sufferers have an allergic reaction to the pollen of wind pollinated plants. Pollen is a fine powder that is released by some plants when they reproduce. It contains proteins that can cause inflammation to the nose and eyes in certain people.

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Causes

In the UK, the most common plant allergen is the pollen of grass, followed by the pollen of trees (especially birch), flowering shrubs (for example hazelnut shrubs), flowers (e.g. daisies) or weeds (ragweed). Some people can be allergic to several types of pollen.

Depending on when the plant releases its pollen, and which kind of pollen you are allergic to, you will suffer from symptoms at different times of the year.

If you usually have Hay Fever symptoms from May to August, you are most likely allergic to grass pollen. This is the most common cause of Hay Fever allergy.

If you suffer from tree pollen, you will most likely have symptoms from January to April.

Hay Fever is much less common during the autumnal months. At that time of year you might get allergies caused by weeds and late flowering plants.

Research shows that pollution can make allergies worse, so people living in the city or people ex-posed to cigarette smoke are at greater risk of developing allergies.

Symptoms

Depending on the patient or on the pollen season, Hay Fever can vary greatly in symptoms and severity. Symptoms may include:
*frequent sneezing
*runny nose
*blocked nose
*itchy, red or watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
*an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears

Because these symptoms can sometimes be quite severe, you might also experience headaches and pain in your face and sinuses.

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How is it diagnosed?

Since Hay Fever is seasonal, it is quite straightforward to diagnose, as you will probably only suffer during the spring and summer months and mostly when you’re outdoors. If you’re unsure, it is a good idea to keep a diary of your symptoms where you note in which situations (time of the day and year) you get a reaction as this can help distinguish allergy patterns.

If you consult your GP about your allergy symptoms, he might examine the inside of your nose for polyps, which might occur when you have Hay Fever.If your doctor is unsure about the causes of your allergies, he might require you to run some tests to diagnose which types of allergen you are sensitive to.

How to manage your hay fever

Hay Fever is not harmful, but it can greatly alter your quality of life, leaving you feeling sick, tired, and unable to concentrate at school or at work. It can also sometimes lead to complications such as sinusitis (infection of the sinuses), particularly if you have developed swollen polyps, because you’ll be unable to blow your nose, resulting in the fluid staying in your nostrils and causing an infection.

There are a few things that you can do to manage your Hay Fever to make it less of a nuisance.

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