Hay Fever: Signs and Symptoms

Hay fever is the name given to the allergic reaction caused by external allergens like pollens and molds. It is a seasonal ailment and usually affects during fall and spring. Some people can be allergic to dust particles, fungi and dust mites and many more.

Hay fever can affect you if you have some family history of allergy, exposure to cigarette smoke during first year of your birth and even if you were born in fall or spring.

Hay fever starts from childhood itself and continues till your sensitivity to the particular allergen goes away.

In hay fever the allergens enter the body via air during inhalation, swallowing and also through skin. Most common allergen is pollen. It is present in flowers and fly around in the air and can easily affect anyone.

Symptoms

The symptoms of hay fever include stuffy nose, sneezing, cough with mucus and red watery eyes. Nose bleeding can also occur if the condition is severe.

For some people hay fever is a normal thing but some can be affected badly and they could not be able to do the day-to-day activities. There can be problem in sleeping, irritability and body pain.

Hay Fever and Common Cold

Hay fever and common cold are two different things. In hay fever there is running nose with only watery discharge but in cold, running nose is followed be thick mucus. In hay fever there is no fever but in cold one can have low fever. Cold goes away in 3 to 4 days but hay fever continuous till you are allergic to a particular allergen.

Diagnose Hayfever

Skin prick test is done in which small amount of purified allergen extract is put in the body and if a bump appears on the skin then it means you are allergic to that particular allergen. Some allergy blood tests are also done.

Treatment

You can take anti-allergens in tablet form or in injection to get relief. But if the condition is getting worse then consult a good doctor. Treatment depends upon the infective agent.