Hay fever is the common name for a condition called seasonal allergic rhinitis, which causes symptoms including sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes. Most people associate hay fever with spring, when airborne pollens from grasses are at their yearly peak.
Allergic rhinitis can also be caused by a reaction to other allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction) around the home such as dust mites, molds or animal hair and fur.
If you have hay fever, it means that you're allergic to pollen from grasses, weeds or trees, and also possibly to molds which are carried through the air, usually during spring and summer. These plants and molds produce the allergens which cause hay fever .
Hay fever is the result of your immune system overreacting to pollen allergens that are airborne during spring and summer, these allergens are actually harmless to most people.
Hay fever, asthma, food allergy and eczema are all related allergic conditions and the tendency to develop these appeaers to run in families. This phenomenom is called atopy: the body produces a certain type of antibody in response to allergens while this reaction does not take place in the bodies of non-allergic people.
Symptoms of hay fever include:
- Sneezing
- A blocked or runny nose (rhinitis)
- Itchy eyes, nose and throat
- Headaches
These symptoms can cause difficulty to concentrate or sleep properly, and tiredness. In some people, pollen may also trigger asthma.
If you have hay fever-type symptoms all year round, you may (also) be allergic to house dust mites, pet hair and/or molds. This is called perennial allergic rhinitis.
You may be allergic to one or more types of pollen - this will determine when your symptoms are most severe.
Common allergens causing hay fever include:
- Grass pollen - with the varieties that are most commonly responsible being rye grass and timothy.
- Tree pollen - allergy to birch pollen is very common, but different trees produce pollen at varying times of the year and it depends which one you're allergic to as to when your symptoms are worst
- Weeds, such as ragwort and other plants
Suggestions to prevent or limit symptoms of hay fever include:
- Check the pollen count forecast on the internet. Try to stay indoors if it’s a high count.
- In spring; stay indoors as much as possible on windy days and after thunderstorms.
- In your garden or terrace - choose plants that are pollinated by birds or insects, rather than plants that release their seeds into the air.
- If you have a lawn, be sure to get a nice big bricked or paved terrace. This way you can sit outside without being too close to the pollen.
- Splash your eyes often with cold water to flush out any pollen if symptoms start appearing.
- Reduce your exposure to dust and dust mites, animals and animal hair or fur.
Medication can help
If you have hay fever, your body produces a substance called histamine, which leads to inflammation (redness and swelling) in the nose. Certain medications may help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever. Ask your doctor for advice.
How can Medical Taping help you when you have hay fever?
The starting point of the elastic tape method is that an external skin-stimulating reflector can be influenced by the tissue structures of the spinal cord segments associated with the innervation region. The tape is applied directly to the skin, stimulates skin sensors, which in turn stimulate the neurogenic system in the body. Research shows that in 80% of the patients there was a significant improvement of all symptoms. The combination of tape on back and chest gave the best result.
Contact your GP if:
- You think you have hay fever and/or want to know more about the causes and treatments
- You want to know if you’re allergic to anything
- You have hay fever and you are currently under treatment but you still have symptoms
- You have a severe allergic reaction
