Hay fever

Hay fever | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Immune system Hay fever Hay fever Return to Symptoms Enter age Last Updated: Next Review Date: Review my answers Find your local services Search for a service near you by entering your postcode below. Please input your postcode in the following format: A12 1BC GP Practices Dental Services Pharmacies Opticians Postcode Search NHS inform has more information on this condition. Read more Previous Start guide Review my answers  You told us your credentials were: : You said: Based on the information you gave us, we made the following recommendation: Close Keep a copy View PDF Hay fever is a common allergic condition. It affects up to 1 in 5 people at some point in their life. Youll experience hay fever symptoms if you have an allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen is a fine powder released by plants as part of their reproductive cycle. It contains proteins that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses to become swollen, irritated and inflamed. You can have an allergy to: tree pollen, released during spring grass pollen, released during the end of spring and beginning of summer weed pollen, released late autumn Many people find their symptoms improve as they get older. Hay fever self-help guide Complete our self-help guide to check your symptoms and find out what to do next. Symptoms The symptoms of hay fever include: frequent sneezing runny or blocked nose itchy, red or watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis ) an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears cough , caused by postnasal drip (mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose) Less commonly, you may also experience: the loss of your sense of smell (anosmia) facial pain (caused by blocked sinuses) headaches earache tiredness and fatigue If you have asthma , your asthma symptoms may get worse when you have hay fever. Treatment Theres currently no cure for hay fever. But most peoplecan relieve symptoms with treatment, at least to a certain extent. The most effective way to control hay fever would be to avoid exposure to pollen. However, its very difficult to avoid pollen, particularly during the summer months. Treatment options for hay fever include: antihistamines  which help to prevent an allergic reaction corticosteroids (steroids)  which help to reduce inflammation and swelling When to get professional advice If you have hay fever, you can get advice and treatment from a pharmacist. Find your nearest pharmacy Hay fever can often be controlled using over-the-counter medication from your pharmacist. Speak to your GP if: your symptoms are getting worse your symptoms do not improve after taking medicines from the pharmacy youre experiencing persistent complications of hay fever, such as worsening asthma or repeated episodes of sinusitis For severe and persistent hay fever, theres also a type of treatment called immunotherapy. It involves being exposed to small amounts of pollen over time. This builds resistance to pollens allergic effects. But it can take many months or even years to work. Whos affected You can get hay fever at any age. But it usually begins in childhood or during the teenage years. Its more common in boys than girls. In adults, men and women are equally affected Youre more likely to develop hay fever if you have a family history of allergies , particularly asthma or eczema . Self-help tips Its sometimes possible to prevent the symptoms of hay fever by taking some basic precautions. Do wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes when youre outdoors take a shower and change your clothes after being outdoors to remove the pollen on your body stay indoors when the pollen count is high (over 50 grains per cubic metre of air) apply a small amount of Vaseline (petroleum gel) to the nostrils to trap pollen Complications Hay fever doesnt pose a serious threat to health. But it can have a negative impact on your quality of life. Very severe hay fever may disrupt your productivity at school or work. Inflammation of the sinuses ( sinusitis ) is another common complication of hay fever. Children may also develop a middle ear infection (otitis media) as a result of hay fever. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 05 May 2023 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. Email Address e.g. you@example.com Message Maximum of 500 characters Send feedback Add this page to\n            Info For Me Also on NHS inform Allergic rhinitis Corticosteroids Allergies Other health sites Pollen calendar Manage your hayfever Asthma and lung UK: Pollen Yellow Card Scheme Met Office: pollen forecast Allergy UK: hay fever Find your nearest pharmacy Enter a place or postcode NHS inform About NHS inform Editorial policy Contact us Webchat Give feedback about NHS inform Info for Me tool Terms and conditions Privacy and cookies policy Freedom of information (FOI) Accessibility Other languages and formats  2023 NHS 24  v1.1.1.17852