Every summer, up to three million people in Britain are affected by hay fever.

If you're one of them, take heart: there are many things you can do to help prevent symptoms and effective treatments available for when hay fever does strike.

How do you cope with hay fever? Share your tips on our forum

Symptoms

Also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen and fungal spores.

For many, the symptoms of hay fever are irritating in every sense. Different people react in different ways, but the most common symptoms are watery or itchy eyes, sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, coughing, an itchy feeling in the throat and wheezing.

Causes

Pollen affects a hay fever sufferer because their body's immune system over-reacts to it as if it were a toxic substance. The symptoms of hay fever usually start to occur when the pollen count, the number of pollen grains per cubic metre of air, exceeds 50.

As a result, the weather can affect how severely a sufferer experiences symptoms - sun can raise the pollen count, wind can spread pollen and rain can lower the count.

Many find their symptoms worsen in big cities, even though pollen counts are lower than in the country. The recent massive rise in diesel vehicles is to blame: particles emitted by diesel engines work with allergens to make them more potent.

Treatment

One popular and effective way of treating hay fever is with antihistamine tablets, which are available from chemists. These combat the symptoms of hay fever by reducing the effects of histamines, which are released during an allergic reaction. They are more effective if you start taking them before symptoms strike.

There are also nasal sprays to reduce inflammation in the nose, eye drops to relieve symptoms in the eyes and sodium cromoglycate can be used to prevent allergic reactions in both areas. Doctors may occasionally prescribe anti-inflammatory steroids, in the form of tablets or an injection.

In rare cases, doctors may advise a course of desensitising injections, to vaccinate against hay fever. This means giving tiny doses of pollen over a long period of time so that the body learns not to react badly to it.

Preventing hay fever

A few simple steps can help you lower your exposure to pollen and reduce hay fever reactions:

• Keep an eye on the pollen count. Remember, a count of over 50 may worsen symptoms.
  
  
• Avoid areas where you will come into excessive contact with pollen; long grass, flowers, even trees.
  
  
• Keep windows and doors closed at home and in the car, especially from 5pm to 7pm when pollen counts can be high.
  
  
• Wear sunglasses - wrap arounds are best - to prevent pollen getting in your eyes.
  
  
• Try using an air filtering device to remove pollen and allergens from your environment.
  
  
• Shower to wash off pollen at night and dust and vacuum your home thoroughly.
  
  
• Don't dry your washing outside - pollen will just stick to it.
  
  
• Smear some vaseline inside each nostril as it will help trap pollen before it reaches those sensitive nasal membranes.
  
  
• Holiday in places with lower pollen counts - sea breezes help clear pollen.
  
  

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