As the summer months approach many of us will be looking forward to enjoying the longer evenings and (slightly) warmer weather. There are many people, however, who find these months a misery as they are plagued by the symptoms of hay fever.

What exactly is hay fever?

Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen released by plants. The pollen count is particularly high during the late spring and the summer months and this is when most sufferers notice their symptoms.

Your body responds to the allergen by releasing a chemical called histamine. This causes the symptoms that most hay fever suffers notice. Some people suffer from these symptoms throughout the year and this is termed perennial allergic rhinitis. House dust mites or family pets often cause it.

What are the symptoms of hay fever?

People who suffer from hay fever will experience symptoms including a runny nose, watery and itchy eyes and an increase in mucous production. Each sufferer will experience differing levels of these symptoms.

What treatment options are available?

The main treatment options for hay fever include antihistamine tablets, anti-allergy eye drops containing sodium cromoglicate and steroid nasal sprays.

• Antihistamines: Common antihistamines include the non-drowsy options cetirizine and loratadine and those that cause drowsiness including chlorphenamine.
• Sodium cromoglicate is an ingredient found in anti-allergy eye drops, it helps to stop watery and itchy eyes associated with hay fever.
• Steroid nasal sprays are effective at stopping the runny nose symptoms of hay fever. These sprays should be used just before and throughout the hay fever season and are suitable for those over 18 years of age.

How to prevent the symptoms of hay fever

 The best way to prevent the symptoms of hay fever is to avoid the main allergen, pollen. To do this you should:

• Avoid grassy areas in the early morning and early evening when the pollen count is highest.
• Keep windows closed
• Use products like Hayleve to minimise the adherence of pollen to the nasal passage.
• Try a product called Prevalin, which claims to de-activate the pollen before it has a chance to trigger an allergic response. It is suitable for pregnant women, those who breastfeed and for children over 6 years of age.