Hay fever
Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, can affect as many as one in 5 children or young adults. Males are more likely than females to suffer.
Although most people associate hay fever with springtime, it can appear at any time of the year, depending upon what particular factors trigger it off.
‘Rhinitis’ literally means inflammation of the nose. As well as happening as part of an allergic reaction, this inflammation can be caused by local irritants such as smoke or chemical fumes.
Hay fever symptoms
The usual hay fever symptoms are a blocked, congested or itchy nose, sneezing and increased runniness of the nose often back into the throat — known as post-nasal drip. Sometimes the eyes are affected at the same time, feeling itchy, watery and red — the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis.
Less common symptoms include blocked or painful ears, which may produce hearing difficulty and loss of balance. Some people will have an irritating cough, as a result of post-nasal drip.
Children with this condition sometimes have a line across their nose (called the transverse crease) caused by constant rubbing of the itchy nose. Dark rings under the eyes, due to congestion of the tiny veins, is another tell-tale sign and is not due to too many late nights.
Hay fever treatment
The main treatment for hay fever is antihistamines in either tablet or syrup form. These can be very effective in suppressing the allergic symptoms. Modern versions of these medicines have been developed which do not make the takers drowsy — something that caused many problems with earlier preparations.
The use of nasal sprays which prevent the allergic reaction is another treatment which many people find very useful.
Alternatively, there are also other nasal sprays, tablets and eye drops that your doctor may recommend for treating and preventing the symptoms of hay fever.
For those whose symptoms are particularly bad, or hard to treat, desensitisation is worth considering. Simple tests, either skin tests or blood tests, can often identify the substances responsible for an individual's allergic reaction. It is possible to make a mixture of these substances (which are known as ‘allergens’) and give tiny amounts in regularly increasing quantities, producing a type of immunity.
Last Reviewed: 18 November 2009
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