Why Seasonal Allergies Affect So Many UK Households

Around one in four people in the UK lives with hay fever, so if you're reading this with streaming eyes while everyone else enjoys a warm afternoon, you're in very good company. Seasonal allergic rhinitis is an immune reaction to pollen, and the UK's pollen calendar is unusually long. It opens with hazel and alder in late winter, rolls into birch and ash in spring, peaks with grass pollen from late May to July, then finishes with weed pollens and fungal spores well into autumn.

That means triggers vary from household to household and from month to month. Trees, grass, weeds, mould spores and even indoor allergens such as dust mite droppings can all set off the same miserable cluster of symptoms. Understanding which one affects you makes managing it far easier.

Recognising the Signs — and What It Isn't

Classic hay fever symptoms include:

• Frequent sneezing, often in bursts
• An itchy, runny or blocked nose
• Itchy, red or watering eyes
• An itchy throat or roof of the mouth
• Fatigue, poor sleep and a general foggy feeling

A useful clue is itching. Colds rarely make your eyes and palate itch, and they usually clear within a week or so. Hay fever tends to arrive at the same point every year and lasts for weeks while your trigger pollen is in the air.

Some people also notice tingling or itching in the mouth after eating raw fruit such as apples, cherries or peaches. This is known as pollen-food syndrome, and it happens because the proteins in some fruits resemble pollen proteins. It's usually mild, but speak to your GP if it develops, and seek urgent help if you ever experience swelling of the lips, tongue or throat.

Practical Steps to Reduce Your Exposure

You can't avoid pollen entirely, but you can cut your daily dose significantly.

• Check the pollen forecast each morning and plan outdoor exercise for later in the day, when counts are lower. Counts are typically highest in the early morning and early evening.
• Keep windows closed during peak pollen times, especially in the bedroom. Ventilate instead after rain, when the air is cleaner.
• Dry laundry indoors during your peak season — pollen settles on bedding and towels hung outside.
• Shower and change clothes when you come in, and rinse your hair before bed so you aren't sleeping in pollen.
• Wipe pets down with a damp cloth when they come indoors; they carry pollen in their coats.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors and apply a thin barrier of petroleum jelly around the nostrils to trap grains before they're inhaled.
• Vacuum regularly with a machine that has a good filter, and damp-dust rather than dry-dusting.

Relief Options From Your Pharmacy

Most hay fever is managed well without a prescription, and the key is starting early rather than waiting until symptoms are entrenched.

• Non-sedating antihistamines such as cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine work best taken daily before symptoms take hold. Older sedating antihistamines can cause drowsiness and affect driving.
• Steroid nasal sprays are the most effective single treatment for a blocked, running nose, but they need one to two weeks of consistent use to work properly. Begin about two weeks before your usual season starts.
• Antihistamine or sodium cromoglicate eye drops tackle itchy, watery eyes that tablets don't fully control.
• Saline nasal rinses are a gentle, drug-free way to flush pollen from the nose, particularly useful for children.
• Avoid decongestant sprays for more than a few days — they can cause rebound congestion.

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking other medicines, check with a pharmacist first. If two or three different pharmacy treatments haven't helped after a few weeks, see your GP. Some people benefit from a referral for immunotherapy, which can reduce sensitivity over time.

When a Reaction Needs Urgent Medical Attention

Hay fever itself rarely becomes an emergency, but seasonal allergies can trigger or worsen serious conditions. Call 999 immediately if someone has:

• Difficulty breathing, wheezing or a tight chest that doesn't ease
• Swelling of the tongue, lips, mouth or throat
• A hoarse voice, noisy breathing or trouble swallowing
• Sudden widespread hives with dizziness, vomiting or collapse

These are signs of anaphylaxis and need adrenaline and hospital treatment without delay. If the person has an adrenaline auto-injector, use it and call 999, stating that an auto-injector has been given.

Watch out for thunderstorm asthma too. When a storm follows a high-pollen day, grains can burst into tiny fragments that reach deep into the lungs, triggering severe attacks even in people whose asthma is usually mild. If you have asthma, keep your reliever inhaler with you during stormy weather in pollen season and follow your written asthma action plan.

For advice that isn't an emergency — for example, symptoms that are worsening despite treatment — contact NHS 111 or your GP practice.

Building a Simple Household Allergy Kit

A little preparation saves a lot of discomfort. Keep a labelled box in a cool cupboard containing in-date antihistamines for each affected household member, a nasal spray, eye drops, saline sachets or a rinse bottle, tissues and a written note of who is allergic to what and which medicines they take. If anyone in the home has asthma, add a spare reliever inhaler and their action plan.

Check expiry dates each spring, and let everyone in the house — including babysitters and visiting grandparents — know where the kit lives. With a plan in place, most people can get on with enjoying the warmer months rather than dreading them.