Hay Fever

Hay Fever is a very common condition which is also known as allergic rhinitis. It is caused by an allergy to airborne substances such as grass or hay pollen. The upper respiratory passages (nose, sinus, throat and eyes) are affected. Common symptoms include headache, sneezing, itchy ears, nose and throat, red itchy or watery eyes, a runny or blocked nose.

It usually occurs during the spring and summer months but depends on your pollen allergy. During spring, tree pollens are the most common cause. From mid Spring to early summer, grass and flowers are in pollen, making these the most common cause during this time. Although rare, people can get Hay Fever into the Fall months. This is usually caused by weeds such as nettles, late flowering plants and mold spores.

Symptoms

Symptoms can vary from person to person and can be similar to a cold. But like all allergies, symptoms can occur due to your immune system overreacting to a normally innocent substance. In this case, pollen.  When the body comes into contact with pollen, the cells in the lining of your nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine which then triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

  • Common symptoms - A runny, itchy and blocked nose, sneezing, watery, itchy and red eyes, and an itchy throat. In some cases only nose symptoms occur, and in some cases only eye symptoms occur.
  • Less common symptoms - Loss of smell, facial pain, headache and sweats.

  • Asthma symptoms - Wheezing and breathlessness may get worse if you already suffer from asthma. Some people have asthma symptoms only during hay fever season. If you have hay fever, you are more likely to develop asthma.

Who is Prone?

If there is a history of allergies in your family, particularly asthma or eczema, you are more likely to get Hay Fever. It usually begins in the early teens and peaks in your twenties. Research shows that as you get older, you may become less sensitive to pollen. By the time you reach your mid-40s, it may no longer be a problem.

Complications

Severe hay fever can also:

  • make asthma more difficult to manage.
  • make people more susceptible to sinus infections (sinusitis).
  • impair performance and learning in children.
  • cause sore throats an bad breath.
  • make people tired and run down due to sleep deprivation.
  • increase the tendency to sleep apnoea in adults through worsening snoring.
  • cause abnormal mouth and teeth development due to chronic mouth breathing. This often results in a high arched palate crowded.
  • Increased eye infections because people rub itchy eyes. Allergies to eye drops or the preservative in the bottle can occur.

Prevention

It may be difficult to prevent it altogether, but you can learn to live with it.

  • Avoiding Pollen can prevent symptoms from occurring. Many cities issue pollen count reports to alert people.
  • Follow your health care provider's treatment recommendations. Although the medications are very effective, they may take several days to reach full effectiveness.
  • During hay fever season, use air conditioning and limit outside exposure.
  • Allergy shots may reduce the severity of your symptoms.
  • Try and keep your home from of mold and other allergens to keep from bringing your allergy indoors.

Asthma and Hay Fever

If you are an asthma sufferer, your asthma may become worse in the hay fever season. You may need an increase in the dose of your usual inhalers (or other asthma treatment) during the season. If you develop asthma symptoms during hay fever season, you may be prescribed an inhaler.