Stop Hay Fever Today

The unusually high pollen count has not reached this level since high pollen levels this year is because we have had perfect weather for pollen so far this year. How to cope with hay fever and reduce symptoms.
Table of contents

• What causes hay fever?
• How to get rid of hay fever - quick relief and tricks you can try - Mirror Online
• How to get rid of hay fever - quick relief and tricks you can try
• Hay fever: Met Office warns of ‘very high’ pollen - this trick could prevent symptoms

In hay fever, the allergen the substance you're allergic to is pollen. Your immune system will release a number of chemicals designed to prevent the spread of what it wrongly perceives as an infection. These chemicals cause the symptoms of the allergic reaction, such as watering eyes and a runny nose. It's unclear what causes the immune system to react in this way, but there are several factors that can increase your risk of developing hay fever.

Most people with hay fever are allergic to grass pollen, but it can also be caused by trees and weeds. Research suggests that pollution, such as cigarette smoke or car exhaust fumes, can make allergies worse. There are around 30 types of pollen that could cause your hay fever. The pollen that causes hay fever can come from a number of sources, including:. Different trees and plants produce their pollen at different times of the year. Depending on which type of pollen you're allergic to, you may experience hay fever symptoms at different times. However, the pollen count season can sometimes begin as early as January or end in November.

The amount of sunshine, rain or wind affects how much pollen plants release and how much it's spread around. On humid and windy days, pollen spreads easily. On rainy days, pollen may be cleared from the air, causing pollen levels to fall. During their pollen season, plants release pollen early in the morning. As the day gets warmer and more flowers open, pollen levels rise. Your GP should be able to diagnose hay fever from a description of your symptoms. In some cases, you may be referred for allergy testing. If possible, keep a diary of the times of day or year you experience your symptoms, as this can help with the diagnosis.

Your GP may refer you to an immunologist for an allergy test if you have hay fever symptoms all year round called persistent allergic rhinitis , or symptoms that aren't responding to treatment. Other substances could be causing your allergy, such as house dust mites, animals or certain foods. If your skin starts to go red around where it was pricked, swells up or becomes itchy, this could be an allergic reaction and would confirm that you have hay fever.

The use of commercial home allergy testing kits isn't recommended. The testing is often of a lower standard than that provided by the NHS or accredited private clinics. It's also important that the test results are interpreted by a qualified professional who has detailed knowledge of your symptoms and medical history. A sample of blood will be taken from a vein in your arm and tested for the presence of the Immunoglobulin E IgE antibody. If you have hay fever, your body produces this antibody when it comes into contact with pollen.

If your blood tests positive for IgE, this may confirm that you have hay fever.

• Hay fever - NHS.
• Why is your hayfever so bad and what are the best remedies?.
• Hay fever WARNING: Highest pollen count in a decade to hit - how to get rid of symptoms.

Before going to see your GP, you could visit your pharmacist and try to treat your hay fever symptoms with over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines. You may need treatment with prescription medications, such as nasal steroid medication corticosteroids. Antihistamines treat hay fever by blocking the action of the chemical histamine, which the body releases when it thinks it's under attack from an allergen.

This stops the symptoms of the allergic reaction. Different antihistamine tablets for hay fever include cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine. Unlike older antihistamines, these newer types shouldn't cause drowsiness, although this can occasionally happen to some people. You should also contact your GP or pharmacist, as there may be an alternative antihistamine you can take. Corticosteroids steroids are used to treat hay fever because they have an anti-inflammatory effect. When pollen triggers your allergic reaction, the inside of your nose becomes inflamed.

Corticosteroids can reduce the inflammation and prevent the symptoms of hay fever. Corticosteroids are better than antihistamine tablets at preventing and relieving nasal symptoms, including sneezing and congestion. They can also relieve itchy, watery eyes. They're most effective if you start using them a couple of weeks before your symptoms begin, and work best when used regularly. It's important that you read the instructions that come with your medication, as applying the drops or the spray incorrectly can increase your risk of developing side effects, such as:.

Hay fever can cause a blocked nose. A decongestant, in the form of a nasal spray, can relieve this. Decongestants reduce the swelling of the blood vessels in your nose, which opens your nasal passage and makes breathing easier. Your GP can prescribe a nasal decongestant, but there are many available from your pharmacist.

Check the ingredients, as some decongestants also contain antihistamine. If they do, they may relieve other symptoms as well. If not, the decongestant will only relieve your blocked nose. They may cause dryness and irritation in your nasal passage, and can make the symptoms of congestion worse this is known as rebound congestion or rhinitis medicamentosa. Eye drops are available from your pharmacist to treat the hay fever symptoms that affect your eyes, such as redness, itchiness and watering allergic conjunctivitis.

Eye drops containing the active ingredient sodium cromoglicate a mast cell stabiliser are the most widely used and have been shown to be extremely safe. Check the patient information leaflet for the correct way to use them.

Some may cause side effects, such as a stinging or burning sensation in your eyes. If you have persistent hay fever symptoms that aren't relieved by the above treatments, your GP may refer you for immunotherapy treatment. This involves gradually introducing you to small amounts of the allergen the substance you're allergic to , such as pollen, and monitoring your allergic reaction in a controlled environment. Immunotherapy is only carried out in specialist medical centres, in case a serious allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis , occurs.

As you get used to the allergen, the amount used will slowly be increased. You'll gradually start to build up immunity to the allergen, and your allergic reaction to it should get less severe. However, if you don't see a significant improvement in your symptoms during the first year, then the treatment is unlikely to help and shouldn't be continued.

Hay fever can lead to complications such as sinusitis and middle ear infections otitis media. It can also have a significant impact on your daily activities. In one study, a third of adults with hay fever reported that their symptoms had a considerable negative impact on their work, home and social life. Unfortunately, the peak of the grass pollen season coincides with the annual GCSE examinations.

In most cases, the negative impact can be reduced with treatment. You should also make extra efforts to limit exposure to pollen. Infection of the sinuses small, air-filled cavities behind your cheekbones and forehead is a complication of hay fever. The swelling of the nasal passages that occurs in hay fever can prevent mucus from draining out of the sinuses.

This can make them more vulnerable to infection. Sinusitis can usually be treated using over-the-counter painkillers. Read more about treating sinusitis. Most middle ear infections will clear up within 72 hours without the need for treatment. Further treatment is usually only necessary if ear infections keep on occurring.

Read more about treating a middle ear infection. It's very difficult to completely avoid pollen. However, reducing your exposure to the substances that trigger your hay fever should ease your symptoms. Rubbing a small amount of Vaseline petroleum gel inside your lower nostrils can help to prevent pollen from entering your nasal passages. If possible, stay indoors when the pollen count is high over The tips below may help to reduce your exposure to pollen. If you need to go outside or you're travelling, the tips below may help to reduce your exposure to pollen.

What causes hay fever?

Home Illnesses and conditions Immune system Hay fever. Introduction Hay fever is a common allergic condition that affects up to one in five people at some point in their life. You can have an allergy to: Hay fever treatment There's currently no cure for hay fever, but most people are able to relieve symptoms with treatment, at least to a certain extent.

Who's affected Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. Self-help tips It's sometimes possible to prevent the symptoms of hay fever by taking some basic precautions, such as: Complications Even though hay fever doesn't pose a serious threat to health, it can have a negative impact on a person's quality of life.

Symptoms Hay fever symptoms vary in severity and may be worse some years, depending on the weather conditions and pollen count. The time of year your symptoms start will depend on the types of pollen you're allergic to. Above all, the paper says air pollution from traffic is a huge factor in the upsurge of hayfever: And polluting gases, such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide, also make hay fever sufferers more sensitive to pollen allergens.

Allergy specialist Professor Stephen Durham says: For most people, hayfever is more of a nuisance than a serious health risk. However, a major study published in April suggests the condition may have long-lasting effects on mental health. Taiwanese researchers studied , patients suffering from asthma, eczema or hayfever over a year period and found a link between allergies and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia. This figure was similar for asthma sufferers yet the opposite was true for people with eczema, who had a lower risk of going on to develop a psychiatric disorder.

Long-term hayfever sufferers will be well aware that there is no cure, but over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops can provide some relief. In an ideal world, the most effective way to control hayfever would be to avoid exposure to pollen. While acknowledging that it is not always possible, the NHS recommends keeping doors and windows closed, vacuuming regularly, avoiding grassy areas, wearing wrap-around sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes, showering after going outside and drying clothes indoors.

Using a cream or balm such as Vaseline inside your nostrils can also reduce the amount of pollen that gets into your nose.

Experts recommend avoiding alcohol as it contains histamine and avoiding smoking as it can irritate the lining of the nose, eyes, throat and airways. It can also be helpful to start taking the medication two weeks before symptoms occur, if you know what time of year you suffer most.

• Hay fever symptoms & treatments - Illnesses & conditions | NHS inform.
• How To Get Rid Of Hay Fever - 25 Tips.
• Burn Card.

For steroid nasal sprays, you need to tip your head forward and spray towards the outside of the nose, says the NHS. A seawater nasal spray can also help clean out nasal passages before the treatment. But it says these should not be used regularly as they cause rebound congestion after a few days' use, making symptoms worse.

Anecdotally, sufferers have claimed that local honey has helped to desensitise their allergic reaction, but any scientific proof of this is yet to emerge. Garlic is said to be a good source of antihistamine, combating the chemicals behind hayfever symptoms.

A diet rich in Omega-3, which is found in oily fish such as mackerel and sardines, is also associated with a decreased risk of hayfever, according to a study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Why is your hayfever so bad and what are the best remedies? What are the symptoms of diabetes? What are the signs of depression and can it be treated? Sign up for our daily newsletter Newsletter.