A lot of people are looking forward to the end of the long, gray, dreary days of winter and set off with a new beginning in spring. However, for some spring signals a new season of sneezing, nose rubbing, and sleepless nights. Thanks to the arrival of spring’s pollens, 20% of the people in the US are developing his seasonal reaction.

Hay fever is an allergic rhinitis that varies per season. This is caused by a heightened sensitivity to pollens that are usually common from early spring to summer but may also occur all throughout the year. The reaction varies for each individual, as well as the causative pollen and the area the affected person is present.

Mechanism of the Reaction

Pollen is shed by blooming plants on various seasons of the year—trees during spring, grass in the late spring and early summer, ragweed from mid-August until the first frost. Plants that are wind-pollinated pose more problems than those pollinated by insects.

Pollen is a common allergen. For some people, the immune system demonstrates hypersensitivity to some variety of pollen. This may include:

• Tree pollen: cedar, oak, birch, ash, elm, willow, alder, plane, hazel, olive
• Grass pollen: timothy, Bermuda, redtop, orchard, Kentucky bluegrass, Johnson, sweet vernal
• Weed pollen: ragweed, plantain, sagebrush, tumbleweed, redroot pigweed

Once pollen enters the airways, it prompts the release of histamine affecting the mucous linings of the upper respiratory tract and eyes causing cold-like symptoms such as:

• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Clear, watery discharge and postnasal drip
• Tearing of the  eyes
• Itchiness of the eyes, throat, and roof of the mouth
• Allergic shiners (swollen, dark circles around eyes)
• There is no fever in hay fever

The onset of symptoms in immediate, unlike viral rhinitis which may take  up to days before any symptoms can be elicited. If left unrecognized and untreated, this could result to:

• Nose bleeding in severe cases
• Impaired taste and smell, even hearing
• Fatigue
• Irritability

What Your Doctor Can Do For You

Although hay fever is rarely fatal, once you suspect any allergic reaction it is best to consult an allergist for diagnosis and determination of the specific causative agent through skin and blood testing.

Once confirmed the doctor may prescribe antihistamines to relieve the itching, sneezing, and nasal symptoms; decongestants (adrenergic agents) to relive the nasal congestion and improve breathing; and corticosteroids to decrease the inflammation in the nose. Mast cell stabilizers and other drugs are given for prophylaxis. Immunotherapy may soon be started as necessary.

What You Can Do

Just avoid the culprit. By doing so, you are giving yourself a break from all the woes of hay fever. Take a shower if you’ve spent long hours outdoors. Give special attention to the hair which may harbor pollens. If you’re having a runny nose, irrigate your nose with a saline solution to remove irritants and soothe the upper airways. Or take washcloth and rinse it with warm water, place it over the nose and upper cheek to relieve the congestion on you sinuses. Also, if the eyes are itchy and puffy, try rinsing it with cool water. Although these tips may not be as effective as taking medications, they may help reduce the discomfort caused by hay fever.