What Is Hay Fever?
Hay fever is an allergy to pollen which occurs during times of the year when the pollen count is high, usually between late March and September, in the UK, when the weather is especially warm, humid, and windy. 1 in 4 people in the UK get hay fever, also referred to as “seasonal allergic rhinitis”. There is no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it. However, contact a MyHealthcare Clinic private GP today on 0207 099 5555 to book an appointment, to find out more about relieving your symptoms.
You may have hay fever if you have some, or all, of the following symptoms:
· A runny or blocked nose
· Sneezing and coughing
· Itchy, red or watery eyes
· Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
· Loss of smell
· Pain around your temples and forehead
· Headache
· Earache
· Feeling tired
How to minimise hay fever symptoms:
When the pollen count is high, we have some useful suggestions to help minimise hay fever symptoms:
· Putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
· Wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
· Showering and changing your clothes, after you have been outside, to wash pollen off
· Staying indoors whenever possible
· Keeping windows and doors shut, as much as possible
· Vacuuming regularly and dusting with a damp cloth
· Buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
Here’s a list of things we suggest you not to do, as they exacerbate hay fever symptoms:
· Do not mow grass or walk on grass
· Do not spend too much time outside