Whether it is burning, itchy eyes or a persistent runny nose, if you have hay fever it can be difficult to enjoy the spring and summer months. Hay fever is a type of allergic rhinitis. It’s so common that the NHS estimate it affects around 1 in every 5 people in the UK.
What is Hayfever?
This is a seasonal allergy to pollen found in the air. According to the met office, the span of months that hay fever may be in affect is between March and September depending on the type of pollen. Tree pollen is in affect from late March to mid-May, grass pollen from mid-May until July and weed pollen from the end of June to September.
Hay fever occurs when the body perceives pollen as a threat to the body which causes an allergic reaction. This is characterised by a spike in the inflammatory antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). The IgE coats the surface of specialised white blood cells called basophils and mast cells. An allergic reaction will not occur upon first exposure but may occur the more times that they are exposed to the allergen. Upon next exposure the white blood cells will produce an inflammatory histamine which stimulates typical hay fever symptoms.
Symptoms of Hay fever
Classic symptoms of hay fever include:
- Dry and irritating cough
- Sneezing
- Runny or blocked nose
- Itchy throat
- Itchy nose
- Itchy ears
- Itchy eyes
- Headache & Tension around the forehead and the temples
- Earache
- Loss of Smell
- Feeling Tired and Lethargy
Minimising Symptoms
There are 2 approaches to minimising symptoms – Lifestyle and Medication.
Lifestyle
- Try to keep windows and doors closed as much as possible when you are indoors. This may stop pollen from wafting into your home.
- Regularly clean floors soft furnishings that may come into contact with pollen.
- Try wearing sunglasses while outdoors.
- Try to minimise eye rubbing as this can irritate your eyes even more.
- Dry your clothes indoors to prevent any pollen being carried in on your clothes.
Medication and Supplements
- Speak to a healthcare professional or pharmacist about the best medication for you.
- Look into purchasing local honey.
- Try a Quercetin based supplement.
- Look for an antihistamine as this can reduce the action of histamine, and therefore, reduce symptoms.
- Try to buy a non-drowsy formulation.
- You may like to purchase a decongestant to manage the symptoms of hay fever.
If you would like support with seasonal allergies, take a hop over to our sister site : Vytaliving Online Doctor and Pharmacy, allergies and hayfever category
References
- https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/seasonal-advice/health-wellbeing/pollen/when-is-hayfever-season
- https://www.allergyuk.org/information-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/11-hay-fever-allergic-rhinitis
- https://acaai.org/allergies/types/hay-fever-rhinitis
- https://coach.nine.com.au/latest/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-suffer-from-hayfever/ad0690eb-c6b0-4a48-978e-69fa2e89df08#:~:text=The%20allergen%20triggers%20the%20antibody,and%20throat%2C%22%20she%20says.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21302007/
