Fact Checked
What is Hay Fever?
- Hay fever is also known as ‘allergic rhinitis’. It’s caused by an allergic reaction to outside or indoor irritants such as animal fur, dust mites, fungal spores or pollen.
- Allergens are generally enzymes that can cause the throat, eyes, nose and sinuses to become inflamed, irritated and swollen.
- When you have an allergic response, your body reacts excessively to something that it sees as a risk. In hay fever, the risk is the allergen (the element that you are sensitive to).
Allergens are generally enzymes that can cause the throat, eyes, nose and sinuses to become inflamed, irritated and swollen. - Your immune system (the body’s normal defence structure) starts to respond as if it’s being aggravated by an organism, and will discharge a number of chemicals intended to stop the spread of what it incorrectly perceives as an infection.
- These chemicals the body releases then cause the symptoms of the allergic response such as wet eyes and a gooey nose.
Hay fever symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Nose keeps running
- Scratchy eyes.
Hay fever generally starts in childhood or during the teen years, but you can get it at any age. It affects up to 1 in 5 people at some stage in their life, and is more expected to take place if there is somebody in your family that has it – mainly eczema or asthma. In fact, asthma and hay fever share several risks and triggers including a genetic tendency to develop allergic responses. Most individuals are able to get rid of their symptoms with proper treatment – at least to a certain degree. Speak with your GP if your symptoms are worrying as you might need prescription medicine.