At least 1 in 10 people in the UK suffer from hay fever and for those who suffer with it, the coming summer months can be a miserable time. By taking a few simple precautions now, in addition to medication, you can minimise your hay fever symptoms.

Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollens. The effects of hay fever can range from being quite mild, to having serious effects on your normal daily life.

Common symptoms include a runny, itchy or blocked nose, sneezing and itchy, red, swollen, watery eyes.

The peak season for hay fever is usually May to September. This can vary, depending on where you are in the country and what you are allergic to.

Head of Health Improvement Partnerships at NHS Suffolk, Sally Hogg, said: “There are a number of effective treatments people can buy from their pharmacist including antihistamine medicines, in the form of tablet or liquid, inhalers, nasal sprays and eye drops.

“There are also a number of natural and herbal remedies which you can buy from pharmacists and health food shops. You can also take steps yourself to improve your symptoms.”

Top tips to avoid the misery of hay fever:
▪ Keep doors and windows closed when the pollen count is at its highest
▪ Vacuum and damp dust regularly with a damp cloth to remove any lingering pollen or spores
▪ Avoid cutting grass, large grassy places, and camping
▪ Shower and wash your hair after being outdoors, especially after going to the countryside
▪ Wear wrap-around sunglasses when your are out
▪ Bring in washing, and close windows before the evening when pollen falls as the air cools
▪ Keep car windows closed, and consider buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car

If you have asthma as well as hay fever you may already have a self-management (action plan) from your doctor or nurse telling you what to do when your asthma gets worse. For those who don’t, speak to your doctor or nurse who can develop a plan with you. By adjusting your asthma medication you could control your symptoms.

▪ Smear Vaseline inside your nose. It helps stop pollen and spores settling on the lining of your nose.
▪ Regularly splash your eyes with cold water. This will soothe and cool your eyes and will also help to flush out any pollen.
▪ Keep pets out of the house. Pollen and spores collect on their fur and are likely to carried back into the house.
▪ Stop people smoking in your home. Smoking and breathing in other people’s smoke irritates the lining of the nose, eyes, throat and airways that can make hay fever symptoms worse.

You can be prepared for the effects of hay fever by listening to your local weather forecast, which will list the pollen count as being low, moderate or high:

Low – A low count means that concentrations of pollen in the air will not be high enough to trigger hay fever for the majority of people.

Moderate – A moderate count may mean symptoms for some sufferers, but they shouldn’t be too severe.

High – High and Very High counts will cause suffering to most people with hay fever and can be used to judge when to take medication or avoid outdoor activity.

Suffolk Community Healthcare is responsible for providing services in the Suffolk area, excluding Waveney, and is hosted by NHS Suffolk, the county’s primary care trust.

For more information visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk