Your Hayfever

Hayfever, also known as SAR (seasonal allergic rhinitis), occurs when an allergen (pollen, dust mite or pet dander) enters the nose, grass pollen is the most common cause and tends to affect people every year in the grass pollen season from about May to July.

If the person has hayfever the body treats the allergen as a threat and the immune system releases a large amount of antibodies in response. The specific antibody is immunoglobulin E (IgE) which binds to mast cells and basophils containing histamine, this creates a sensitised immune system.

The next time the person gets into contact with the allergen, it activates the IgE bound to the mast cells, which in turn releases inflammatory mediators such as histamine (and other chemicals).

This histamine causes the inflammatory reaction and causes the well known symptoms of hayfever:

• frequent sneezing
• runny or blocked nose
• itchy, red or watery eyes (also known as allergic conjunctivitis)
• an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears

Less commonly, you may experience:

• the loss of your sense of smell
• facial pain (caused by blocked sinuses)
• sweats
• headaches

Hayfever is called seasonal allergic rhinitis because symptoms tend to occur at the same time, or in the same season, each year.

Who gets hayfever?

Hayfever is very common, it is estimated to affect up to 28% of the UK population (Hayfever prevalence in the UK in 2020, 2040 and 2060, Prof. Jean Emberlin, National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, University of Worcester. June 2009)

Hayfever often first develops in school age children and during the teenage years, symptoms return for a season each year, but it eventually goes away or improves in many cases (often after having had symptoms each season for several years). Hayfever tends to run in families, you are also more likely to develop hayfever if you already have asthma or eczema. Equally, if you have hayfever, you are more likely to develop eczema or asthma.

Will it help if I avoid pollen?

It is impossible to totally avoid pollen, however symptoms tend to be less severe if you reduce your exposure to pollen. The pollen count is the number of pollen grains per cubic metre of air, the pollen count is often given with TV, radio, internet or newspaper weather forecasts, a high pollen count is a count above 50. The following may help when the pollen count is high:

• Stay indoors as much as possible, keep windows and doors shut.
• Avoid cutting grass, large grassy places, and camping.
• Shower and wash your hair after being outdoors, especially after going to the countryside.
• Wear wrap-around sunglasses when you are out.
• Keep car windows closed, and consider buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car.
• These should be changed at every service.