Is it possible to catch hayfever

Hay fever, sometimes written as 'hayfever', is the name given to any pollen allergy. There are three types of pollen that you might be allergic to; tree pollen, grass pollen and weed pollen. Unfortunately, hay fever sufferers often find themselves caught in the middle. In many cases, an attractive flower is more likely to be insect-pollinated, as its brightly coloured petals are designed to tempt insects. Some people are allergic to one type of pollen, while others are unfortunate enough to suffer symptoms caused by all three.

To find out which types of pollen cause your allergic reaction, it helps to know when each one has its peak season.

Finding hayfever relief can often feel like a full time job. While pollen tends to spend most of its time outside, it can be hard to keep it out of your home. It can get in through windows, or you could bring it in without knowing it.

Here are a few ways you can find hay fever relief from the comfort of your living room. Changing into something else straight away is a good idea. We all have clothes we wear most days, such as a favourite coat or jacket. Just remember to do it outside! If you can, dry clothes inside to stop pollen getting to them.

Your hair is another place for pollen to latch on and cause hay fever symptoms, so giving it a regular rinse will stop this happening. Water will do the job fine on its own. Stopping people bringing pollen into your home is one thing.

Stopping pets is a little more challenging. The best you can do is give them a regular brush or bath during your hay fever season. This is easy enough. As unfair as it sounds, if the pollen count is really high and your symptoms are severe, it might be best to stay indoors. This may be difficult on a really hot day, so make sure you have a fan or air conditioning to keep you cool.

This is good news for anyone who hates mowing the lawn. Gardening is obviously going to leave you exposed to pollen, so this is one chore you can excuse yourself from.

Going outside is an unavoidable part of the day for most of us. Sunglasses can shield your eyes from more than just the sun. However, if your symptoms are more troublesome your pharmacist may advise you contact your GP, as you may require prescription medication.

For severe and persistent hay fever, there's also a type of treatment called immunotherapy. It involves being exposed to small amounts of pollen over time, to build resistance to its allergic effects. However, this can take many months or even years to work. Read more about treating hay fever. Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. It's estimated that there are more than 10 million people with hay fever in England. You can get hay fever at any age, although it usually begins in childhood or during the teenage years.

It's more common in boys than girls. In adults, men and women are equally affected. You're more likely to develop hay fever if you have a family history of allergies , particularly asthma or eczema. It's sometimes possible to prevent the symptoms of hay fever by taking some basic precautions, such as:. Read more about preventing hay fever. Even though hay fever doesn't pose a serious threat to health, it can have a negative impact on a person's quality of life.

People with very severe hay fever often find that it can disrupt their productivity at school or work. Inflammation of the sinuses sinusitis is another common complication of hay fever. Children may also develop a middle ear infection otitis media as a result of hay fever.

Read more about the complications of hay fever. Hay fever symptoms vary in severity and may be worse some years, depending on the weather conditions and pollen count. Even though your hay fever symptoms may be mild, they can interfere with your sleep and your daily activities at school or work. If you have asthma , your asthma symptoms may get worse when you have hay fever. Sometimes, the symptoms of asthma only occur when you have hay fever.

These symptoms include:. Hay fever symptoms are likely to be worse if the pollen count is high. The pollen count is the number of grains of pollen in one cubic metre of air. Air samples are collected in traps set on buildings 2 or 3 storeys high. Taking samples from this height gives a better indication of the pollen in the air.

Traps on the ground would only collect pollen from nearby trees and plants. The air is sucked into the trap and the grains of pollen are collected on either sticky tape or microscope slides glass plates.

The pollen is then counted. Samples are normally taken every 2 hours, and usually the results are averaged over a hour period. Hay fever symptoms often begin when the pollen count is over The pollen count is usually given as part of the weather forecast during the spring and summer months. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. When these tiny particles come into contact with the cells that line your mouth, nose, eyes and throat, they irritate them and trigger an allergic reaction.

When you have an allergic reaction, your body overreacts to something it perceives as a threat. In hay fever, the allergen the substance you're allergic to is pollen. Your immune system will release a number of chemicals designed to prevent the spread of what it wrongly perceives as an infection. These chemicals cause the symptoms of the allergic reaction, such as watering eyes and a runny nose. It's unclear what causes the immune system to react in this way, but there are several factors that can increase your risk of developing hay fever.

They include:. Most people with hay fever are allergic to grass pollen, but it can also be caused by trees and weeds. Research suggests that pollution, such as cigarette smoke or car exhaust fumes, can make allergies worse.

There are around 30 types of pollen that could cause your hay fever. The pollen that causes hay fever can come from a number of sources, including:. Different trees and plants produce their pollen at different times of the year. Depending on which type of pollen you're allergic to, you may experience hay fever symptoms at different times.

However, the pollen count season can sometimes begin as early as January or end in November. For example, depending on the weather conditions, sometimes there can be an "early spring" or a "long summer". The amount of sunshine, rain or wind affects how much pollen plants release and how much it's spread around.

On humid and windy days, pollen spreads easily. On rainy days, pollen may be cleared from the air, causing pollen levels to fall. During their pollen season, plants release pollen early in the morning. As the day gets warmer and more flowers open, pollen levels rise.

On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in the early evening. Your pharmacist should be able to diagnose hay fever from a description of your symptoms. In some cases, you may be advised to speak to your GP as you may need allergy testing.

If possible, keep a diary of the times of day or year you experience your symptoms, as this can help with the diagnosis. Your GP may refer you to an immunologist for an allergy test if you have hay fever symptoms all year round called persistent allergic rhinitis , or symptoms that aren't responding to treatment. Other substances could be causing your allergy, such as house dust mites, animals or certain foods.

The 2 main allergy tests are a skin prick test and a blood test. During a skin prick test, an immunologist will place the pollen allergen on your arm and prick the surface of your skin with a needle. This will introduce the allergen to your skin's immune system mast cells and, if you're allergic to it, you should have a reaction on the skin. If your skin starts to go red around where it was pricked, swells up or becomes itchy, this could be an allergic reaction and would confirm that you have hay fever.

The use of commercial home allergy testing kits isn't recommended. The testing is often of a lower standard than that provided by the NHS or accredited private clinics. It's also important that the test results are interpreted by a qualified professional who has detailed knowledge of your symptoms and medical history. A sample of blood will be taken from a vein in your arm and tested for the presence of the Immunoglobulin E IgE antibody. If you have hay fever, your body produces this antibody when it comes into contact with pollen.

If your blood tests positive for IgE, this may confirm that you have hay fever. Antihistamines treat hay fever by blocking the action of the chemical histamine, which the body releases when it thinks it's under attack from an allergen.

This stops the symptoms of the allergic reaction. Antihistamines are usually effective at treating itching, sneezing and watery eyes, but they may not help with clearing a blocked nose. Different antihistamine tablets for hay fever include cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine. Azelastine is an effective antihistamine nasal spray and olopatadine is an antihistamine eye drop. Unlike older antihistamines, these newer types shouldn't cause drowsiness, although this can occasionally happen to some people.

If you do become drowsy after using antihistamines, you should avoid driving or using heavy tools or machinery. You should also contact your GP or pharmacist, as there may be an alternative antihistamine you can take. Rhinitis refers to irritation or inflammation of the nose. Allergens can be found both indoors or outdoors, and they can be seasonal or yearlong.

These allergens will trigger your immune system, which mistakenly identifies the substance as something harmful. In response to this, your immune system produces antibodies to defend your body. When triggered, these antibodies signal your blood vessels to widen and your body to release inflammatory chemicals, like histamine.

You may even be able to prevent symptoms from developing if you take antihistamines before the pollen is in the air. As we approach summer and a rising pollen count, here are our top tips to get on top of your hay fever.

You can try:. Many nondrowsy antihistamines are available over the counter. If your symptoms are severe, you can also contact your doctor. They can help you explore a number of prescription medications or other options, such as immunotherapy or seasonal allergy shots. Planning a long, hot bath? Always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil. Itchy, dry, and bloodshot eyes are one of the worst symptoms of hay fever. Investing in eye drops is the quickest way to combat it.

Antihistamines are one of the most effective ingredients in eye drops targeted at allergy relief. Alaway offers hour protection and can easily be used to treat common allergic responses like hay fever. Simply tip your head back and place one or two drops into eyes four times per day. Wearing contact lenses? You can still use these eye drops follow the directions on the packaging.

Air purifiers essentially work by sanitizing the air, which can include pollutants, allergens, and toxins. And research shows that using one can help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies like hay fever.

Multiple air purifiers are available on Amazon and other vendors.