Hay fever is the common name given to allergic rhinitis, a condition that results in cold-like symptoms such as itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, and nasal disturbances from blockages to itchiness. It normally only happens during certain times of the year.
The incidence of hay fever is at its peak when there’s a high concentration of pollen in the air, usually between late March and September. But it can also be triggered by dust mites (which can cause symptoms all year round).
There’s no cure for hay fever, but there are a few different options you can try, as well as ways to try and avoid it. For example, if your hay fever is caused by dust mites, you can make a few changes in your living space to try and reduce the severity of your symptoms Avoiding evaporative coolers, investing in a dehumidifier, and switching any upholstered furniture with plastic, wood, vinyl, or leather are things which can help.
Who gets hay fever?
Anyone can get hay fever, but some people are more likely to experience it than others. But the reason for this is yet to be fully discovered; clinicians have studied hay fever for a long time, but they still don’t fully understand the reasons why some people are more prone to it.
Studies have shown that exposure to certain irritants during childhood, namely second-hand cigarette smoke, can play a role. Genetics is also thought to be involved in the development of hay fever. If you have a family history of allergies, of any kind, you might be more likely to develop hay fever.
These factors don’t guarantee that you will have hay fever at any point in your life, and hay fever isn’t limited to people in these risk groups. You might not have a family history of hay fever and you might not have been around cigarette smoke at all as a child, but you can still develop the condition.
How common is hay fever?
Hay fever is very common. Its prevalence, based on diagnosis, is around 15%, but it’s thought to be as high as 30% based on people who show symptoms but don’t seek a diagnosis.
Hay fever is also the most common paediatric condition, but children are more prone to get seasonal hay fever, whilst adults are more prone to develop chronic hay fever.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Hay fever
What causes hay fever?
Hay fever is a type of allergy, and it’s caused by a response from your immune system to what it perceives as a threat, even though it’s not. In the case of hay fever, your immune system thinks that pollen and/or dust mites are a threat so it responds like it would to a virus.
Symptoms of hay fever occur when your body produces histamine in order to protect your body against this perceived threat. The role of treatment with antihistamines is to curb this process and reduce or get rid of your symptoms.
Hay fever can also co-occur with asthma, and it’s a risk factor for asthma too, so there are links between the two. Your airways may experience continuous inflammation and this can lead to chronic hay fever.
What are the symptoms of hay fever?
The symptoms of hay fever can vary greatly in severity, but most people will experience the same set of symptoms. These include, but are not limited to:
sneezing
watery and itchy eyes (this can compromise vision so it can get in the way of your routine)
itchy throat which results in coughing, that is sometimes hard to control
blocked, runny, and/or itchy nose
Less common symptoms include:
sweating
loss of smell and/or taste
headaches
pain caused by blocked sinuses
itchiness in the ears
If you’re struggling with particularly strong symptoms of hay fever, you should seek medical assistance. Our clinicians will be able to advise you on the best course of treatment for your individual health needs and monitor your progress to make sure you don’t need a different medication or dosage.
Can hay fever lead to other problems?
Hay fever can lead to both long-term and short-term complications such as sleep disturbances, constant fatigue, a decrease in cognitive abilities and learning abilities, and an overall lower quality of life.
Hay fever can also contribute towards or even directly cause other medical conditions such as acute or chronic sinusitis, hearing impairment, ear infections, and sleep apnoea.
Hay fever can also put you at a higher risk of developing asthma. People who develop both conditions can treat them together with a leukotriene inhibitor such as Montelukast. If you’re struggling with hay fever in conjunction with asthma symptoms, you should contact our clinicians so they can advise you on the best course of treatment.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Hay fever
What medications are there for hay fever?
The first step to take when treating hay fever is making sure that you’ve gotten rid of any triggers in the house and have done your best to minimise your exposure to pollen. If these measures aren’t enough, there are three different treatment options: antihistamines, corticosteroids, and immunotherapy.
Antihistamines work by protecting your body from histamines, the substance your body releases in response to a perceived threat, which in the case of hay fever is pollen or dust mites. Blocking the effect of histamines will help greatly reduce the symptoms of hay fever. You can get antihistamines in almost any form, from drops, lotions and sprays, to tablets.
Corticosteroids stop histamine from being produced in the first place so it works better to prevent hay fever. Some treatments combine antihistamines and corticosteroids to provide the best range of benefits possible.
If you’ve tried both of these treatments and nothing has worked, you might need to get immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is often known as a desensitisation treatment and it’s done by giving you increased dosages for allergens such as pollen or dust mites. It’s either administered by injection or orally. The aim is to reprogram your immune system into accepting these allergens as nonaggressive, effectively preventing an allergic reaction from happening in the first place.
Is there a ‘best’ treatment for Hay fever?
There isn’t a specific treatment that’s best for everyone. Each person responds to medications differently. Some people prefer to take antihistamines whilst others prefer steroid treatments. Or you may prefer drops or tablets. So there are a number of factors to consider in terms of the right treatment options for you.
Some people may benefit from allergen immunotherapy (AIT), which exposes you to larger and larger amounts of an allergen to build your tolerance and reduce your symptoms. This therapy may help with hay fever symptoms. AIT should only be done with the supervision of a specialist.
If you’re not sure what treatments are available and which ones are the most suitable for you, our clinicians can recommend options tailored for you.
Does hay fever always need treatment?
Hay fever doesn’t always need treatment. There are a number of things you can do to try and help with hay fever symptoms before resorting to medication, such as:
wearing sunglasses outdoors to stop pollen from getting into your eyes (this doesn’t stop it completely but it helps)
Showering and changing your clothes whenever you’ve been outside. This is to get rid of any pollen residue that clung to your skin and clothes
staying indoors as much as possible
keeping your windows and doors shut to prevent any air currents from bringing pollen inside
vacuuming regularly. Keep your living space as clean as possible to keep any pollen and dust mites from settling into your home
keeping triggers away from your home, such as flowers;
drying your clothes outside to reduce the level of humidity inside your house.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Hay fever
FAQ: Hay fever
Have something specific you want to know? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
How is hay fever diagnosed?
Answer:
Hay fever can easily be diagnosed by a healthcare professional. They’ll ask you some questions about your health and symptoms, and once they have a clear picture of everything you’re feeling they’ll be able to state whether or not you’re suffering from hay fever. If your symptoms only develop during a set time of the year, your clinician will quickly be able to confirm seasonal hay fever as the diagnosis.
The symptoms of hay fever are easy to spot and identify, so you can easily self-diagnose and treat the condition without medical assistance. There are many hay fever treatment options that you can get without a prescription from places like supermarkets or online.
Does hay fever treatment always work?
Answer:
Hay fever treatment doesn’t always work. There’s no cure for hay fever so all we can do is try and manage the symptoms. But there are quite a few different treatment options for you to try, and you’re likely to find something that helps.
If you already tried antihistamines and steroid treatments and nothing worked for you, you might need to undergo immunotherapy. This is a specialist treatment that might not be available everywhere, so you may need to travel for it.
Are there different types of hay fever?
Answer:
Some people split hay fever into two categories: seasonal hay fever and year-round, or chronic hay fever. Seasonal hay fever only develops for a few months each year when the pollen concentration in the air is at its highest, whilst chronic hay fever happens all year.
Seasonal hay fever is more common so usually, when people talk about hay fever, this is the one they are referring to.
Can you get side effects from hay fever treatment?
Answer:
Most treatments, no matter what they’re for, come with risks of side effects. So you can get side effects from hay fever treatment, but different products and treatments will come with a different set of possible side effects.
You can speak to our clinicians about any concerns you might have surrounding side effects and they’ll be able to help you. They can guide you through all the available treatment options and you can then see what the side effects are for each medication.
Hansen, K., Mangrio, E., Lindström, M. and Rosvall, M.
Early exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke and the development of allergic diseases in 4 year old children in Malmö, Sweden. BMC Pediatrics, 10(1). (2010).
The link between allergic rhinitis and asthma: A role for antileukotrienes? Canadian Respiratory Journal : Journal of the Canadian Thoracic Society, [online] 15(2), pp.91–98.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
Secure delivery 
UK clinicians
