Hay fever is a type of allergic rhinitis: an inflammation of the inside of the nose caused by certain allergens. First, your body first identifies the allergen as something dangerous then your immune system reacts, resulting in hay fever symptoms.

Allergic rhinitis can be caused by all sorts of allergens. Some of the most common are dust, mites, mould spores, animal saliva or skin and pollen. When it’s caused by pollen, it’s called hay fever.

• Tree pollen season – end of February to start of May
• Grass pollen season – end of May to start of July
• Weed pollen season – start of May to start of August

Symptoms of hay fever include:

• Sneezing
• Runny and blocked nose
• Itchy and irritated eyes
• Skin rash (if you come into direct contact with the pollen)

A lot of the symptoms are similar to those caused by the common cold; however, a cold won’t cause itchy eyes. If you have itchy eyes, you are probably having an allergic reaction and not suffering from a cold.

Pollen count describes the amount of pollen in the air. Seasonal changes and weather conditions affect how plants release pollen. That’s why you might have very bad hay fever some summers, and less severe symptoms during others. When the pollen count is high, you should take extra precautions against hay fever.

You can access predicted pollen counts for different types of pollen on the Irish Meteorological Service website. The pollen forecast page is updated daily. It gives an overview of the pollen counts for broad types, including:

• Tree
• Grass
• Weed

There are a number of different over-the-counter medicines that can help relieve symptoms of hay fever. The main types of treatment are:

• Hay fever tablets—antihistamines and/or decongestants
• Nasal sprays—normally antihistamines or steroids
• Eye drops—help soothe itching (antihistamines)

You can also get creams to help with rashes and alternative treatments such as preventative bands.

Decongestant tablets target and reduce the fluid in your nose. This means they work to reduce symptoms once they have appeared. When you have a blocked nose, it can be caused by the swelling of blood vessels. Decongestants reduce the swelling of blood vessels in your nose, which will open up the airways.

Decongestants are the best option when relieving existing symptoms.

Non-drowsy hay fever tablets are widely available. Some of them are:

Zirtek Plus Decongestant

Eye drops are best used in conjunction with tablets, or when you are most bothered by itchy eyes but less concerned about other symptoms. Eye drops can usually be reapplied multiple times throughout the day, but make sure you read the dosage instructions that come with your product.

A great tip for applying eye drops is to drop them in slowly. Your eye can only absorb one drop at a time, so if your product says apply four drops, space out the drops or else your eye won’t be able to absorb them and they will simply run down your face.

Nasal sprays help prevent the symptoms of hay fever developing. You can get both antihistamine and steroid sprays, as well as sprays that do not include antihistamines or steroids, meaning there is less risk of side-effects.

There are a number of reasons why you might experience symptoms of hay fever in the evening that are as severe, ore more severe, than during the day.

• Airborne pollen settling back to ground level: During the day, the small size of pollen particles means that they rise up with the hot daytime air as it warms. When the air cools in the evening, much of the pollen floating in the sky settles back down to the ground.
• Drinking and smoking in the evening: Alcohol carries histamines—a chemical that causes the body to produce symptoms of hay fever such as itching and sneezing. Alcohol and nicotine also react with hay fever medicine and prevent it from working. Smoking can irritate the physical effects of hay fever, such as a sore throat and general congestion.
• Pollen in the home: Throughout the day, pollen is brought into the home, either on clothing, the fur of pets and simply through cracks and open windows. This pollen can then become trapped overnight, meaning those with hay fever breathe it in while asleep and suffer its effects.

In some instances, hay fever can cause tinnitus. Hay fever produces inflammation in the nose and throat and excess mucous. This can affect the pressure in the middle ear, causing a blocked sensation and impaired hearing.

Hay fever itself does not directly cause a sore throat. However, constant sneezing can create soreness in the throat.

Hay fever can also make an asthmatic’s throat itch. Many sufferers ‘scratch’ this itch by creating a clicking or glugging sound in their throat. However, too much of this can also make the throat feel sore and tender.

Yes. Pollen can trigger an asthma attack in those that suffer from hay fever. Hay fever and asthma have a close relationship, with over half of all people suffering from hay fever, also suffer from Asthma.

Hay fever can make an asthmatic’s sensitive airways more likely to react to other triggers such as dust or pollution. It can cause your inflamed airways to swell up even further, which will cause an asthma attack.

You can help reduce your asthma attack risk by:

1. Take your preventer/reliever inhalers when prescribed

Your preventer inhaler will help reduce sensitivity and welling in your airwaves. This will help lower the risk of attacks. Make sure you take consistently for best results.

Your reliever inhaler (often the blue coloured one) should be with you every day, especially during hay fever season. This will help relieve symptoms if an attack is about to start.

2. Try Salt Therapy

Salt therapy, also known as halotherapy is a drug-free natural therapy that uses micro particles of salt to promote better breathing. It can help relieve symptoms from a range of respiratory conditions.

Most people receive salt therapy at designated practitioners in spas etc. However, Salin Plus now offers a home option too. It is designed to purify the air in order to help relax inflamed airways. It’s easy to use and does not corrode on the environment it treats. We recommend you use Salin Plus Salt Therapy whilst you sleep to ensure a minimum exposure of 8 hours a day. Find out more about Salin Plus Salt Therapy by visiting the product page.

If pregnant, always consult with a pharmacist before taking medicine for hay fever, even if it is one you have taken regularly in the past.

Almost all hay fever pills are made using antihistamines. However, not all types of antihistamine are suitable for pregnant women. Some antihistamines have more safety information around use when pregnant than others. Some antihistamines can also cause drowsiness, which is not always appropriate when pregnant.

Always check with your pharmacist before taking an antihistamine while pregnant.

Saline (salt water) sprays can also be used to clear out the nose. However, you should always check with a pharmacist before use when pregnant.

• Tree pollen season – end of February to start of May
• Grass pollen season – end of May to start of July
• Weed pollen season – start of May to start of August