Do You Suffer From Hay Fever? | AD
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Hay fever is so common and I personally know so many people who suffer with it, including Dave and the kids. One in four people in the UK have hay fever and it’s often under recognised and poorly managed too. It’s something we have learnt to live with as a family but did you know you can get an an actual hay fever diagnosis?
What is hay fever?
Hay fever is a really common allergic reaction in adults and children. It’s known as seasonal allergic rhinitis and occurs due to a reaction to grass pollen as well as pollen from trees and plants. It’s caused when the body makes allergic antibodies to allergens like pollen, house dust mites or mould.
Do you only get hay fever in the summer?
You can feel the effects of hay fever all year round but it’s usually at its peak between late March and September. It’s worse when the weather is warm, humid and windy – when the pollen counts are the highest and runs in cycles depending on what plants are in season at the time.
How do you know if you have hay fever?
Often people don’t know they have hay fever and just presume that their symptoms must be a sign of it. The allergy symptoms include sneezing and coughing, nasal congestion or a runny nose, itchy, red or watery eyes, headaches and tiredness. It’s not surprising that many people pass hay fever off as a cold – even if it lasts for a good chunk of the year.
But, you can get an official diagnosis for hay fever or other seasonal allergies to then treat it correctly. Klarify have simple to use Home Allergy Testing Kits that help you discover what your body reacts to. The home to lab allergy testing kit has a quick skin prick test that gives clear results within two weeks and will not only show if you have hay fever but if you have allergies to anything else as well – from dust mites to pets and even food. You can find out more here.
Why should you get tested for hay fever?
Having a formal diagnosis for hay fever, or any other allergy, is really reassuring. It gives you knowledge of where your symptoms are coming from which brings so much peace of mind along with it. Plus, as the Klarify kits test for 294 different allergens you may find that actually, your allergy isn’t hay fever after all and an allergy to something completely different.
Is there a cure for hay fever?
At the moment there isn’t a cure for hay fever and it can’t be prevented but there are a lot of things you can do to relieve the symptoms of hay fever. The main things are staying indoors to avoid pollen, keeping windows and doors shut and vacuuming and dusting regularly.
You can also buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and it’s best to avoid freshly cut grass too. Don’t keep freshly cut flowers in your home, don’t smoke or be around smoke and do not dry your clothes outside as they can catch pollen in them too.
There are also many over the counter hay fever remedies and treatments that can help to alleviate the symptoms hay fever – from antihistamines and decongestant nasal sprays to eye drops and special face wipes. It’s worth investigating what works for you.
