Hay fever is an allergy to pollen, a fine powder from plants. When pollen gets into your nose, eyes or throat, your immune system overreacts. It affects around 1 in 4 people in the UK.
Symptoms
- sneezing and a runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red or watery eyes
- an itchy throat, mouth, nose or ears
- coughing
- headache and feeling tired
- wheezing, if you also have asthma
Pollen seasons
- tree pollen: late March to mid May
- grass pollen: mid May to July. This is the most common cause
- weed pollen: end of June to September
Pollen counts are highest on warm, dry, windy days, and in the early morning and evening.
Getting help
Most people can manage hay fever with advice and medicine from a pharmacist. See a GP if pharmacy medicines are not helping, your symptoms are severe, or you are wheezy.
Read about hay fever treatment.
Common questions
Is it hay fever or a cold?
Hay fever lasts for weeks or months while pollen is around, often with itchy eyes, and does not cause a high temperature. A cold usually clears in a week or two.
Can hay fever make asthma worse?
Yes. Pollen can trigger asthma symptoms. If you have asthma, keep up with your preventer inhaler and follow your action plan in pollen season.
Sources we used
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