Hay fever & seasonal allergies: symptoms, causes & treatment

hay fever can make the transition from winter to spring a nightmare for sufferers. Along with the warmer weather and sunshine can come symptoms such as sneezing and eye irritation.

The peak time for hay fever sufferers to experience symptoms is in the summer. Some trees, such as willow, start releasing pollen early in the year. On days with a high pollen count, you may experience unpleasant symptoms, because you may not be sensitive to all types of pollen.

There are some ways to reduce your hay fever symptoms. One of the best air purifiers will help to trap the pollen before it can hurt your immune system, so you can reduce the amount of pollen in your indoor environments.

What is hay fever?

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to grass pollen, according to Max Wiseberg, creator of HayMax. Mast cells break or degranulate when stimulated by these antigens, releasing mediators that include histamines. The unpleasant itching, redness, inflammation and other hay fever symptoms can be caused by these mediators.

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The most painful part of hay fever is the nose, says Wiseberg. All of this can lead to fatigue and exhaustion.

Hay fever can make it hard to sleep, and it can also make you feel sluggish.

Do you need a hand that is easy to breathe in during the warmer months? Check out our guide to the best air purifiers for allergies.

Hay fever symptoms

Our immune system responds to the threat of pollen in our system, which causes hay fever symptoms. Our immune systems detect tiny particles of pollen in our respiratory system when we breathe and try and clear it. It's why your eyes and nose itch and run, and you might sneeze or cough as your body tries to get rid of the pollen.

Some of the symptoms of hay fever can be seen.

• Sore, swollen eyes
• Running or congested nose 
• Sneezing and coughing 
• Itchy nose, mouth, throat, ears and eyes 
• Tiredness and fatigue 
• Sinus pressure  
• Headaches 

If you suffer from asthma, you may be able to feel the effects of pollen. A study in the Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Allergy found that hay fever is more common in people with asthma.

• Related: How can air purifiers help with asthma? 

Hay fever: Tests and diagnosis

You can be certain that you have hay fever if you have one of the above symptoms at the same time each year. It's worth talking to a professional to make sure you choose the right one for you.

If your allergy is bad, you should talk to your doctor and ask them to test you, says Wiseberg.

How can you treat hay fever?

There is no cure for hay fever, but there are several options for managing it. It's all about finding the right treatment for you, because you may find some work for you better than others.

Several different groups of medicine have been developed for treating allergies. The ones that are common are:

• Antihistamine tablets and capsules – these can relieve most hay fever symptoms, including sneezing, itchy, runny eyes, skin irritation, itchy nose and throat, but are less effective for nasal congestion. 
• Antihistamine nasal sprays – these can quickly ease itching, sneezing and watering but generally only provide proof against mild symptoms. 
• Steroid nasal sprays and drops – these reduce inflammation in the nose; they work best for clearing nasal symptoms such as itching, sneezing, watering and congestion. Sprays sometimes clear eye symptoms too. 
• Eye drops – may reduce itchy, watering, swollen eyes. 
• Other, slightly less common forms of conventional medicine for hay fever include nasal washes. 

Most tablets, sprays and drops can be taken individually or in combination.

Don't give up if the first one you try doesn't work for you, you may find another version that works for you.

Can you grow out of hay fever?

Sometimes hay fever symptoms can improve with age. It is possible that those who have hay fever as children may not suffer as much as adults because of low level exposure to allergens. A study in Allergy and Asthma proceedings found that when checking in with participants twenty three years after the original study, the majority reported improvements in their hay fever symptoms.

There are references.

The Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, opened in a new tab.

There is a follow-up to college students of a natural history of hay fever.