What Is Hay Fever?
Hay fever, known medically as allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction that causes inflammation of the nose, throat and sinuses. It is one of the most common allergies in the UK, and for a great many people it arrives at the same time every year.
What Causes It?
Hay fever is triggered by allergens, and pollen is the best known of them. Grass, trees and other plants all release pollen at different points in the year, which is why the season runs from early spring right through to autumn rather than arriving all at once.
Pollen is not the only cause. House dust, house dust mites and animal dander produce the same reaction in some people, and because these are present indoors all year round, the symptoms are not confined to the summer months. Where household allergens are involved, the reaction may show itself as asthma rather than as the nose and eye symptoms most people associate with hay fever.
The Symptoms
Symptoms vary enormously from one person to the next. For some it never amounts to more than an itchy nose. For others it means watery, painful eyes, a blocked nose, repeated sneezing, headaches, difficulty concentrating and disturbed sleep, week after week.
That range is worth stating plainly, because it explains why hay fever is often treated as a minor nuisance. For a large number of people it is nothing of the sort. A bad summer can mean months of broken sleep and the constant low-level exhaustion that goes with it, at exactly the time of year everyone else is outdoors.
How Common Is It?
Roughly one person in ninety has hay fever badly enough to see a doctor about it, and a great many more have it in a milder form and simply manage it themselves.
Why some people become sensitive to these allergens and others do not is still not fully understood, although altered immunity is thought to play a part. There is some evidence of a link between hay fever, asthma and eczema, and it is not unusual for someone to have more than one of the three.
When To See A Doctor
Most people manage hay fever with treatments bought over the counter. It is worth seeing your GP if your symptoms are severe, if they are not improving with anything you have tried, if they are affecting your sleep or your ability to work, or if you have asthma and find your symptoms getting worse during the pollen season.