Data from the Met Office suggests that due to climate change, we may be experiencing hay fever symptoms earlier than usual — and that those symptoms might be more severe — meaning it’s more important than ever to understand how to prevent and treat hay fever. With this in mind, pharmacist Chris Newbury (BPharm IP) from The Independent Pharmacy offers his top tips on dealing with hay fever season, managing your symptoms, and minimising disruption to your daily life during the spring and summer months.
Hay fever — known scientifically as seasonal allergic rhinitis — affects around 1 in 4 people in the UK each year, and it occurs due to an allergy to pollen and fungal spores. This allergy typically affects the mucous membranes in the eyes and nasal passages, leading to symptoms such as sneezing, a blocked or runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
Chris said: “Hay fever is a chronic condition for which there’s no ‘cure’, but symptoms typically ease as we get older. It tends to be more common in people with conditions such as asthma and eczema, those who have a family history of hay fever, and those exposed to tobacco smoke from a young age.”
