Hayfever :( (Hayfever)

Member Name: bluejules

Product:	Hayfever
Date:	11/05/08 (649 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Lots

It's that time of year again. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and people are starting to cut their grass. I have mixed emotions about this time of year; I love the light nights and the warmer weather but I hate the fact that I have hay fever and am ill a lot of the time.

~ What is Hay Fever? ~
Hay fever is also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis and affects around 20% of the UK's population. It is an allergy to airborne substances such as grass or hay pollens. It affects the upper respiratory tract and the symptoms are similar to those of a cold.

Symptoms include:

· Itchy/streaming eyes
· Runny/itchy nose
· Blocked nose
· Sneezing
· Itchy throat and ears
· Loss of smell
· Face pain
· Headache
· Itching of the roof of the mouth
· Cough
· General feeling of being unwell (hence 'fever')

I get most of these symptoms with my hay fever although I don't recall ever having face pain. My hay fever usually starts with a really itchy throat and then the other symptoms follow. I tend to get hay fever all year round but it is always worse in the spring and summer.

Not everyone with hay fever gets all of the symptoms and I know a few people who have had some of the symptoms year after year without even realising that they have hay fever.

Hay fever usually starts in early teens and peaks around the early twenties (I have this yet to come!) and usually is less severe once reaching the forties. My dad is in his late forties and has hay fever and other allergies and although he does still get quite poorly with them, it is not as bad as was when he was younger.

Not all pollen is the same and different hay fever suffers are allergic to different pollens. 95% of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen but other pollens include tree pollens (symptoms at their worst March-May) and mould spores are also a cause of hay fever symptoms.

~ What can you do to help? ~

A lot of people take antihistamine, including me, to help ease the symptoms. I have to take mine all year round and I am usually almost symptom free in the autumn and winter months (I suffer if I forget to take them) and my symptoms are less severe in the summer. When your body encounters an allergen it releases a chemical called histamine, which causes the allergic symptoms. Antihistamines block histamine receptors in the body, therefore preventing the histamine working, so symptoms should be less severe.

Nasal sprays also work well for some people. I have a nasal spray every summer, and I take it twice a day and it helps with some of my symptoms. Nasal sprays have an anti-inflammatory action, which reduces symptoms, such as an itchy nose. I also use eye drops, which can relieve itchy and sore eyes.

It is not possible to avoid pollen completely but there are some things you can do to help relieve the symptoms:

· Place some petroleum jelly around your nostrils as this can reduce the amount of pollen you inhale through your nose. I do this quite a lot but sometimes it isn't effective as my nose is running too and I constantly wipe it. This also doesn't stop pollen from irritating your eyes etc but I think it does help a bit.
· When indoors, keep your windows and doors closed to prevent pollen getting into the house.
· Use the air conditioning or buy some pollen filters for the fans in the car so that you don't have open the windows.
· Get showered when you come indoors from being where the pollen is. This is not always practical, but it when it is it is quite effective as it washes the pollen away.
· If your face and eyes are itchy I would recommend dipping your head into a bowl of cold water. This may sound strange but it relives the itching and I have done this many times to help relive my symptoms.
· Try and avoid cutting the grass and don't lie on it if it has just been cut
· Try to stay indoors between 5-7pm, when pollen is often at it's highest.
· Check the local pollen counts online so you can avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time when it's high, if possible.
· Eat locally produced honey as it can help you become immune to the local pollens.

Hay fever is not pleasant and can make the sufferer feel really poorly. I have encountered lots of people who think I am exaggerating when I say I have to have a day off due to hay fever as they think I'm using it as an excuse. I do use my medication and this does help but sometimes when my sinuses are blocked, my eyes are swollen, I can't stop sneezing, my throat is itchy and I have a headache, I really struggle to get out of bed. I haven't had a lot of days off since I have suffered from hay fever so I don't like it when people think I'm just using it as an excuse. (Sorry... rant over!)

I hope this has helped you or someone you know who suffers from hay fever. Thanks for reading!

Summary: An unpleasant allergy