Every spring, nearly half of the UK population starts suffering from hay fever – far earlier than summer, like everyone assumes. Those affected are often left miserable on beautiful days when they should be enjoying the new season’s sunshine.
The official name for hay fever is allergic rhinitis and it has similar symptoms to the common cold – a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and congestion. But while a cold is caused by a virus that tends to stay in the body for three to seven days, hay fever is caused by an allergy so it lasts as long as you’re exposed to whatever is causing it.
"The allergic reaction occurs when the lining of the nose becomes exposed and sensitised to certain triggers, such as pollen," explains Dr Rosie Godeseth, associate medical director at Vitality. "On exposure to these triggers, histamine and other inflammatory molecules are released, which act on nerve endings and blood vessels to produce typical hay fever symptoms. It affects certain individuals based on their own combination of genetic factors and environmental exposures."
Dr Rosie warns asthma sufferers to take particular care as the weather warms up, as pollen can worsen or even trigger asthma symptoms.
While there is no known cure for hay fever, many people can manage their symptoms with over-the-counter medication, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops. As with many other allergies, the ideal situation is to avoid exposure to the triggering allergens. So people with hay fever can take steps such as shutting windows when the pollen count is high and avoiding buying fresh flowers.
There are also some natural and easy remedies to try that can help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever…
VASELINE
Placing a small amount of Vaseline around your nose and eyes can catch pollen and prevent it from causing aggravation.
"Vaseline provides a barrier that catches pollen particles before they enter your body," says Dr Rosie. "It also relieves the sore skin often caused by hay fever symptoms."
TAKE A SHOWER
On warm, dry days when the pollen count is at its highest, you can avoid worsening your symptoms by taking a shower whenever you get home. Washing your hair and putting on fresh clothes will remove any lingering pollen and lower the risk of irritation.
It's best to avoid drying your washing outdoors as your laundry can collect pollen that could then get transferred around your home.
EAT LOCAL HONEY
Some research suggests eating local honey can lessen the effects of hay fever as it exposes sufferers to the same pollen that is present where they live and helps the body to naturally form a tolerance.
"While anecdotal evidence supports this, we should approach this critically," says Dr Veronika Matutyte from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. "I recommend it as part of an integrated approach to managing hay fever."
SHUT DOORS AND WINDOWS
While it can be tempting to keep your windows and doors open to allow fresh air inside, this allows pollen to enter the home which in turn can aggravate symptoms. It sounds obvious, but keep them closed as much as possible to stop pollen from coming indoors.
Some sufferers find that having an air purifier in their living room or bedroom useful for catching stray particles that have made it inside.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1741065663...
The official name for hay fever is allergic rhinitis and it has similar symptoms to the common cold – a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and congestion. But while a cold is caused by a virus that tends to stay in the body for three to seven days, hay fever is caused by an allergy so it lasts as long as you’re exposed to whatever is causing it.
"The allergic reaction occurs when the lining of the nose becomes exposed and sensitised to certain triggers, such as pollen," explains Dr Rosie Godeseth, associate medical director at Vitality. "On exposure to these triggers, histamine and other inflammatory molecules are released, which act on nerve endings and blood vessels to produce typical hay fever symptoms. It affects certain individuals based on their own combination of genetic factors and environmental exposures."
Dr Rosie warns asthma sufferers to take particular care as the weather warms up, as pollen can worsen or even trigger asthma symptoms.
While there is no known cure for hay fever, many people can manage their symptoms with over-the-counter medication, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops. As with many other allergies, the ideal situation is to avoid exposure to the triggering allergens. So people with hay fever can take steps such as shutting windows when the pollen count is high and avoiding buying fresh flowers.
There are also some natural and easy remedies to try that can help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever…
VASELINE
Placing a small amount of Vaseline around your nose and eyes can catch pollen and prevent it from causing aggravation.
"Vaseline provides a barrier that catches pollen particles before they enter your body," says Dr Rosie. "It also relieves the sore skin often caused by hay fever symptoms."
TAKE A SHOWER
On warm, dry days when the pollen count is at its highest, you can avoid worsening your symptoms by taking a shower whenever you get home. Washing your hair and putting on fresh clothes will remove any lingering pollen and lower the risk of irritation.
It's best to avoid drying your washing outdoors as your laundry can collect pollen that could then get transferred around your home.
EAT LOCAL HONEY
Some research suggests eating local honey can lessen the effects of hay fever as it exposes sufferers to the same pollen that is present where they live and helps the body to naturally form a tolerance.
"While anecdotal evidence supports this, we should approach this critically," says Dr Veronika Matutyte from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. "I recommend it as part of an integrated approach to managing hay fever."
SHUT DOORS AND WINDOWS
While it can be tempting to keep your windows and doors open to allow fresh air inside, this allows pollen to enter the home which in turn can aggravate symptoms. It sounds obvious, but keep them closed as much as possible to stop pollen from coming indoors.
Some sufferers find that having an air purifier in their living room or bedroom useful for catching stray particles that have made it inside.
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1741065663...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 10, 2025