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Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is an allergic reaction to pollen, a powdery substance that is produced by plants and released into the air when plants reproduce. This happens especially during spring and summer, which is why hay fever symptoms are usually worse at this time of the year.

The symptoms of hay fever are triggered in several steps:

1. Allergies, including hay fever, happen when your body thinks that something you are inhaling or ingesting is dangerous or unwanted. In this case, pollen is the cause.
2. When you inhale pollen, this sends signals to your white blood cells to release histamine (a chemical).
3. Histamine is what causes your hay fever symptoms, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, and less commonly, a hay fever cough. This is your body’s way to deal with the allergen and try to protect itself from harm.

Antihistamines are the main treatment for hay fever because they can block the action of histamine. Although they can’t cure hay fever, they can stop the body’s reaction and relieve symptoms. You can also take corticosteroids to reduce inflammation (swelling).

It's also important to know that you can develop hay fever at any time in your life, even if you’ve never had hay fever symptoms before.

If you’re wondering whether you’ve got hay fever or a cold, the best way to tell is by waiting it out. Hay fever can last for months at a time and usually happens when pollen counts are high. On the other hand, a cold usually lasts around a week, and symptoms should start to get better as your body fights off the virus.

Hay fever and colds have similar symptoms, but you’re more likely to feel unwell with a cold, while hay fever makes you feel stuffed up and itchy. If you start taking antihistamines and feel better, you’ve probably got hay fever. If you aren’t sure, you can speak to a pharmacist or doctor. You may be referred for an allergy test, especially if your symptoms are severe.

Hay fever symptoms can vary from person to person. You might get 1 or 2 hay fever symptoms, or several at once. These can range from mild to severe, depending on how severe your allergy is.

Common hay fever symptoms include:

• a runny or itchy nose
• an itchy throat
• red, watery, or itchy eyes
• headaches
• a loss of smell
• sneezing
• a hay fever cough
• pain around your forehead and temples
• earache
• tiredness

You usually get symptoms of hay fever during spring and summer, but if you have other allergies, you might get symptoms all year round. This might be caused by other allergens like dust or pet hair.

If you notice symptoms of hay fever, even if you’ve not had them before, you can speak to a pharmacist or get hay fever treatment online.

There are a few ways to tell if you have hay fever:

• Symptoms appear during spring and summer when the pollen counts are high.
• Symptoms are worse if you’ve been outside or left the doors and windows open.
• You have some or all of the hay fever symptoms listed above.
• Your symptoms don’t go away after 1 week or 2, like they would if you had a cold.
• Using an over-the-counter antihistamine relieves your symptoms.

If you still aren’t sure, you can discuss your symptoms with a pharmacist or doctor. If your symptoms aren’t getting better after using over-the-counter hay fever treatments, you should also speak to a doctor.

Hay fever treatment can help with hay fever symptoms, making them easier to manage. As hay fever is caused by an allergic reaction, the best hay fever treatment is an antihistamine.

You can get antihistamines for hay fever in the form of:

• eye drops
• nasal spray
• tablets

Some antihistamines are labelled as drowsy (such as chlorphenamine) and others are non-drowsy (such as cetirizine). Tablets with an active ingredient like chlorphenamine can cause drowsiness and sleepiness, so they may not be suitable for you, or may need to be taken at night.

In more severe cases where symptoms aren’t being managed with antihistamines, you can be prescribed a corticosteroid which can reduce swelling and inflammation.

You can also get prescription hay fever tablets, which contain a higher dose and are recommended if you’ve got moderate to severe hay fever symptoms that aren’t going away with over-the-counter treatments.

Prescription hay fever tablets include:

• fexofenadine hydrochloride 180 mg (brand names: Almerg, Telfast, Treathay) - this is also a relatively new hay fever tablet that’s available over the counter at a lower dose of 120 mg
• desloratadine (brand name: Neoclarityn)

Hay fever nasal spray can help relieve hay fever symptoms and is an alternative to tablets. It can also be used alongside hay fever tablets. Antihistamine nasal sprays work by blocking the action of histamine when you come into contact with pollen. Corticosteroid nasal sprays reduce the inflammation caused by hay fever.

You’ll use your nasal spray every day, in both nostrils. How often you use it will depend on which you take. You can get nasal spray for allergies over the counter and on prescription.

Types of hay fever nasal sprays include:

• fluticasone, which is a corticosteroid (brand names: Flixonase, Avamys, Nasofan)
• azelastine hydrochloride, which is the only intranasal antihistamine approved in the UK for hay fever (brand names: Azelair, Rhinolast)

Over-the-counter nasal sprays contain lower doses of the active ingredient. If yours isn’t reducing your hay fever symptoms after a few weeks of continuous treatment, speak to your doctor about a prescription hay fever nasal spray.

You can get some allergy tablets over the counter, which means you won’t need a prescription for them. These contain a lower dose and are best for people with mild to moderate symptoms.

Over-the-counter hay fever tablets include:

• cetirizine
• loratadine
• acrivastine
• chlorphenamine

You’ll usually take 1 tablet, once a day. Antihistamines work best when you take them consistently so the medicine can build up in your system. You can also take them when you get symptoms for relief. You may also be able to get the above treatments on a prescription. If over the counter tablets aren’t enough to manage your symptoms, speak to a doctor.

Hay fever eye drops are used to reduce the symptoms of hay fever in the eyes, such as itching, watering, and redness. They can be taken alongside nasal sprays and tablets, but always check with your pharmacist to make sure.

The most common eye drops for hay fever contain the active ingredient sodium cromoglicate. This belongs to a group of medicines called antiallergics and can help stop the release of substances such as histamine, but it’s not the same as an antihistamine. You should use allergy eye drops a few times a day, in both eyes. The bottle will give you instructions on how often to use them.

Hay fever injections are given in private clinics and contain a corticosteroid which reduces inflammation. The NHS used to administer hay fever injections, but doesn’t anymore due to side effects. This doesn’t mean the hay fever injections are unsafe to take, but it’s very important to do your research and speak to a doctor before deciding whether it’s right for you. The private clinic will check your medical history and can explain side effects in more detail.

You might want to try an injection for hay fever if other treatments aren’t working to relieve your symptoms well enough. The active ingredient in the hay fever injection is triamcinolone acetonide.

The medication is injected into the buttocks. The effects can last for anywhere from 3 to 10 weeks. Depending on how your body reacts to treatment and how long you have hay fever symptoms for, you may need one or several injections. The price can vary from clinic to clinic.

Hay fever can last anywhere from a few days to several months. The worst time for hay fever is between March and September, as this is when pollen counts increase. As there are different types of pollen that you can be allergic to, you may notice certain times of the year where you get symptoms.

Hay fever is not curable, but it can be prevented and relieved with medication and other changes. You may have hay fever your whole life, or it may start to get milder as you age. In around 20% of people, hay fever can go away entirely.

You can buy hay fever prescription medication from a pharmacy or online, through trusted and regulated online doctor services. You’ll need a prescription from your GP if you want to buy hay fever medication at your local pharmacy.

Alternatively, you can get a prescription for hay fever medication online from ZAVA and get your medication delivered straight to your door.

Yes, as hay fever is so common, there are plenty of treatment options available over the counter. These have a lower dose of the active ingredient, so may not work for everyone. You can speak to a doctor if over-the-counter hay fever medication isn’t enough to relieve your symptoms.

The 2 main types of hay fever treatments are antihistamines and corticosteroids. Like all medications, you can get side effects of either hay fever treatment. You can find the full list of side effects for your hay fever medication on the patient information leaflet.

Common antihistamine side effects include:

• drowsiness (especially if the hay fever medication is drowsy)
• dry mouth
• blurred vision
• difficulty peeing (urinating)
• feeling sick (nauseous)
• dry nose (more common if using a nasal spray)

Common corticosteroid side effects include:

• heartburn or indigestion
• dry nose (more common if using a nasal spray)
• an increase in appetite
• dizziness
• changes in mood, such as anxiousness or irritability
• high blood pressure

Using a nasal spray can also cause:

• irritation in the nose and throat
• excessive mucus
• congestion

Not everyone who takes hay fever medicine will get side effects. If you do get side effects, they’re likely to go away once your body gets used to the treatment. If side effects are bothering you a lot, or aren’t going away after a few weeks of taking your treatment continuously, speak to a pharmacist or doctor.

There is a rare risk of serious allergic reaction to any hay fever treatment.. You should always check the ingredients of any hay fever medicine before taking it.

The symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include:

• difficulty breathing
• dizziness
• fainting
• swelling of the nose, throat, mouth, or tongue

If you notice any of these side effects, get someone to call 999 or go to A&E straight away.

Although there is no hay fever cure, there are plenty of ways to find hay fever relief with the medication or naturally. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor about a treatment plan for hay fever, which can include tablets, nasal spray, or eye drops.

It’s also advised to minimise your exposure to pollen during hay fever season (more on that below). Try spending less time outdoors, keeping windows and doors closed, and taking medication to prevent symptoms and provide hay fever relief.

You can get hay fever symptoms at any time, but there are common times of the year that you’re more likely to get symptoms. This is known as hay fever season.

There are a few different types of pollen in the UK, so if you get symptoms during this time, you might be allergic to one or several types:

You can also check the pollen count in your area to see when your symptoms may be worse. This can help you to prepare for hay fever symptoms and avoid exposure as much as possible.

If you don’t want to take hay fever medication, there are other treatment options available that might help. There isn’t a lot of research on natural and home remedies, but you can use them alongside or instead of hay fever medication to see if they help you.

A lot of alternative hay fever treatment options are about how to prevent exposure to pollen, or what you can do to limit pollen getting into your home and the air you breathe.

To prevent and reduce pollen exposure you can:

• Keep windows and doors closed.
• Use an air purifier in the room you spend the most time in. Make sure to look for one with a HEPA filter, as this can get rid of allergens from the air.
• Look for an anti-allergen vacuum cleaner, as this can also get rid of pollen in your home.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around your face, to reduce the amount of pollen that comes into contact with your eyes.
• Stay indoors more often during high pollen seasons.
• Dust regularly with a damp cloth.
• Use vaseline around your nostrils to reduce the amount of pollen that you breathe in.
• Avoid cutting grass or walking on it.
• Don’t have fresh flowers in your home.
• Avoid drying clothes outside where pollen can catch on them.

Natural remedies for hay fever:

• Using a steam inhalation bowl with chamomile leaves to relieve an irritated or dry nose and throat.
• Drinking nettle tea before hay fever season – this is said to get your body more used to the pollen in your area.
• Using honey and lemon in your tea, as this can soothe irritation in the throat if you’ve got a hay fever cough.
• Taking vitamins to improve your immune system health.
• Using a cold compress on your eyes if you have irritated eyes.
• Using aloe vera to keep your nasal passages moisturised.
• Using a saline nasal spray to help clear congestion and rinse out your sinuses.

Other hay fever remedies for reducing symptoms:

• Avoid smoking or being around smoke, as this can make symptoms worse.
• Wash your hands and face often, especially after being outside.
• Shower or change clothes after being outside for a long time.
• Avoid other allergens when your symptoms are bad, such as dust and pet hair.

If you’ve got hay fever, start with over-the-counter hay fever medications such as low-dose antihistamines or corticosteroids. You might want to try tablets, nasal spray, eye drops, or a mixture of all three.

If you’ve already tried over-the-counter hay fever medication for several weeks and your symptoms haven’t improved, speak to a doctor about a prescription hay fever treatment. These contain a higher dose of the active ingredient and may work better. You can also try natural remedies and limit your exposure to pollen to help relieve hay fever symptoms.

As there are lots of hay fever treatments available, you can also speak to one of our doctors about which would be most suitable for you based on your medical history, current medications, and symptoms.