Hay fever sufferers are beginning to sniffle and itch earlier in the year and evidence suggests it\'s directly related to climate change and summer and spring increasingly arriving ahead of schedule.
Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, is caused by an allergy to pollens released from grass predominantly, but also certain trees and weeds, and it affects over 16 million Britons every year.
The traditional ‘hay fever season\' runs from late spring to early summer for those with grass pollen allergies and early to late spring for those that suffer from tree and weed pollen allergies. During this time, the pollen count is at it\'s highest, the weather is dryer and the pollen is windborne. However researchers have started to detect the hay fever season coming on early, sometimes by weeks, as tree and grass pollen cycles are occurring earlier.
Common hay fever symptoms include a runny, itchy or blocked nose, irritated, watery eyes and an itchy throat. Some people may also suffer with loss of smell, headaches, face pain and excessive sweating. Hay fever can also spur on asthma symptoms, such as wheezing and breathlessness. Some sufferers can be so badly affected it disrupts their working or schooling life.
There are many ways to treat hay fever and in order to do so it\'s important to find out what causes your hay fever. To do this, you can self diagnose by noting when the allergy is at it\'s worse, where you have been, what pollens you may have been exposed to etc, however this can be difficult if you don\'t know what to look for. Your best bet is to seek advice from a doctor who may prescribe medicine to narrow down the allergen, or in some cases, run a skin prick or blood test.
Some medications have proven effecting in the treatment of hay fever and these include antihistamine nasal sprays or tablets, steroid nasal sprays or drops and eye drops. Severe sufferers may be prescribed steroid tablets or immunotherapy. As different people suffer from different symptoms it\'s always best to consult a doctor who can prescribe the best treatment for each case.
As in most allergy scenarios, prevention and avoiding the allergen (cause) is one of the best ways of dealing with hay fever, particularly as the hay fever season is becoming harder to predict.
About 95 per cent of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollens, and for this majority, replacing their lawn with artificial grass is a good idea and will allow them to enjoy the outdoors at home, regardless of when the hay fever season kicks off.
Other tips to avoid pollen as best you can include avoiding large grassy areas and the countryside, staying indoors with the windows closed, fitting pollen filters to your car air vents and washing your hair after being outdoors. It\'s also a good idea to take note of the pollen report, usually presented with the weather forecast on TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet. A pollen count above 50 is considered high.
Hay fever can drastically affect the day-to-day lives of sufferers, and it\'s a problem they face annually. With the hay fever season occurring earlier each year, preparation and prevention is key to dealing with this awful allergy.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com
About the Author
Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
