Bees don’t get hay fever

For most of us, lovely summer days are a welcome relief after the long dark days of winter but for around 12 million people it is the start of months of misery as allergic reactions to tree pollen and grasses are felt with sneezing, wheezes, itchy streaming eyes and a general feeling of being tired and run down. So even if you’re not suffering, you’re probably surrounded by colleagues who are.

Hay fever - also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis - is an immune system reaction triggered when the body is exposed to one or more types of pollen. But exactly when it strikes depends on the type of pollen or fungal spores to which your body responds.

The term hay fever is a little misleading as it is not confined to the hay-making season and sufferers do not have a fever. You can get hay fever at any time from early spring to late summer, depending on which pollen or pollens you’re allergic to.

• Spring: The pollens most likely to cause problems in early spring are from trees, notably silver birch, ash, oak and London plane.
• Summer: Grasses pollinate during mid-summer from May to August. The most profusely pollinating grasses are timothy, rye, cocksfoot, meadow and fescue.
• Autumn: Occasionally, in late summer and autumn, weeds such as nettles and dock as well as mugwort and plantain can trigger hay fever.

Did you know?

• Some people with hay fever develop oral allergies to certain fruits, vegetables and nuts and notice itching and swelling of the mouth and throat when they eat fresh fruit and vegetables. This is due to the food containing a protein similar to the allergy-provoking protein in the pollen.
• Those who are allergic to silver birch pollen develop oral allergies to apples, peaches, cherries, carrots, celery, hazelnuts, peanuts and walnuts.
• People allergic to grass pollen may develop oral allergies to tomato, melon and watermelon.
• Mugwort pollen allergy cross-reacts with apple, celery and carrot.
• Ragweed pollen allergy cross-reacts with bananas, melon and honey.

How to beat hay fever

• Put Vaseline inside the lower nostrils. This traps pollen entering the nasal passages.
• Saline nasal sprays reduce congestion and clean pollens and irritants from your nose. Make your own or buy over the counter.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses. This reduces sensitivity to light, which can trigger sneezing, and protects the eyes from allergens.
• Dry your washing indoors to avoid bringing pollen inside.
• Keep windows shut, especially in the mid morning and late afternoon, when the pollen count rises. Also, don’t drive with the windows down.
• Take breaks by the coast. Sea breezes reduce pollen count.
• Shower before bed.
• Take clothes off before entering the bedroom - and sleep with windows closed.

What’s the treatment?

The most useful treatments for hay fever are:

• Antihistamine tablets and nasal sprays, which if taken regularly help to relieve a runny nose, sneezing, an itchy throat and itchy, watery eyes
• Anti-inflammatory nasal sprays and nose drops, which reduce inflammation in the delicate lining of the nose. These should be taken daily for the best results
• Anti-allergy nasal sprays and eye drops which act on the linings of the nose and eyes to stop the allergen triggering a reaction
• Decongestant tablets and sprays can help if the nose is blocked and stuffy, but can lead to rebound blocking

Some experts and sufferers advocate taking local honey every day for a few months before the pollen season starts to improve symptoms, but no studies have been performed to prove this.

If you’ve got any handy hints to help other hay fever sufferers, please share them with us.