Hay fever is a common allergic condition that affects up to one in five people at some point in their life.
The symptoms of hay fever are caused when a person has an allergic reaction to pollen.
Who is affected?
Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. It is estimated that there are more than 10 million people with hay fever in England.
- Hay fever usually begins in childhood or during the teenage years, but you can get it at any age.
- The condition is more common in boys than in girls.
- In adults, men and women are equally affected.
- Hay fever is more likely if there is a family history of allergies, particularly asthma or eczema.
- Being exposed to tobacco smoke during early childhood is a risk factor
Symptoms
Hay fever symptoms vary in severity and may be worse some years than others.
Severity can depend on the weather conditions and the pollen count. The time of year your symptoms start depends on the types of pollen you’re allergic to.
The symptoms of hay fever include:
- frequent sneezing
- runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red or watery eyes (also known as allergic conjunctivitis)
- an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
- cough, caused by postnasal drip (mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose)
Many people find that their symptoms improve as they get older.
Around half of people report some improvement in symptoms after several years. In around 10-20% of people’s symptoms go away completely.
Hay fever and asthma
If you have asthma, your asthma symptoms may get worse when you have hay fever.
Sometimes, asthma symptoms only occur when you have hay fever.
These symptoms include:
- tight chest
- shortness of breath
- coughing
- wheezing
Self-help tips for preventing hay fever
It is sometimes possible to prevent the symptoms of hay fever by taking some basic precautions.
Staying indoors
If possible, try to stay indoors when the pollen count is high (over 50).
Tips to help reduce your exposure to pollen indoors:
- Keep windows and doors shut in the house. If it gets too warm, draw the curtains to keep out the sun and keep the temperature down.
- Don’t keep fresh flowers in the house.
- Vacuum regularly, ideally using a machine with a HEPA (high-efficiency particle arresting) filter.
- Damp dust regularly. Dusting with a wet cloth, rather than a dry one, will collect the dust and stop any pollen from being spread around.
- Keep pets out of the house during the hay fever season. If your pet does come indoors, wash them regularly to remove any pollen from their fur.
- Don’t smoke or let other people smoke in your house. Smoking and breathing in other people’s smoke will irritate the lining of your nose, eyes, throat and airways, and can make your symptoms worse.
- If possible, avoid drying clothes outside. This will help prevent bringing pollen into your house.
Avoiding pollen outside
If you need to go outside or are travelling, there are precautions that you can take.
Tips to help reduce your exposure to pollen outside:
- Avoid cutting grass, playing or walking in grassy areas and camping – particularly in the early morning, evening and at night when pollen counts are highest.
- Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes.
- Change your clothes and take a shower after being outdoors to remove the pollen on your body.
- Keep car windows closed. You can buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car. This will need to be changed every time the car is serviced.
It is very difficult to completely avoid pollen. However, reducing your exposure to the substances that trigger your hay fever should ease your symptoms.
Complications
Hay fever does not pose a serious threat to health but it can have a negative impact on your quality of life.
People with very bad hay fever often find that it can disrupt their productivity at school or work.
Another common complication of hay fever is inflammation of the sinuses.
Children in particular may also develop a middle ear infection (otitis media) as a result of hay fever.
When to seek medical advice
Most cases of hay fever can be treated using over-the-counter medication.
A pharmacist can advise on treatments for you or your children.
You would normally only need to see your GP if
- You can’t control your symptoms with over-the-counter medications or you are having troublesome side effects caused by the medication
- You are experiencing persistent complications of hay fever, such as worsening of asthma or repeated episodes of sinusitis
- The pattern of your symptoms is unusual; such as occurring during the winter or only at your workplace – it is likely that another substance other than pollen is responsible and further testing will be required to confirm this