What Is Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis?

The words many not sound that familiar and yet approximately 24% of the population of Britain are struck down by it.  When listing the symptoms it might become somewhat clearer, especially if you are one of those 24% that when faced with the beauty of a spring or summer morning, tend to miss the view due to sneezing constantly into a handkerchief.

The symptoms for Allergic Rhinitis include:

• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Nasal congestion

As you may have guessed the illness being referred to is Hay fever.  Hay fever is a type of allergic rhinitis known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, which refers to the seasonal nature of its symptoms.  Although some would consider Hay fever to be a minor illness to those that suffer it can impact the quality of life.  Most of us would take for granted the ability to take summer walks through the park, or even to indulging in a spot of gardening, however for those struck down by Hay fever both of these activities would be out of bounds.  Not only does it affect a person’s social life but in some cases it can develop into far more serious conditions such as nasal polyps or sinusitis.

As with most allergies the first line of defence is to understand what triggers the reactions.  Once the sufferer is aware of the main irritant the next step is avoidance.  Victims of allergic rhinitis may want to follow the tips below:

• Take note of the Pollen Count and act accordingly.  When the count is high try to stay indoors and keep the windows closed
• Pollen manages to stick to most clothing and even gather in your hair, so when returning from an outing it is advised to change clothes or even to take a shower.
• To stop pollen from irritating the eyes when you are out try wearing sunglasses
• A healthy diet and getting regular exercise has been proven to help prevent Hay fever
• Hay fever symptoms can be made worse by other forms of air pollution, so it is best to avoid wet paint, cigarette smoke and even some insect sprays

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