Controlling your hay fever & rhinitis

Whether you have hay fever or perennial rhinitis, there are two main courses of action open to you.

Flowers You can try to avoid those allergens that affect you, or you can take effective medication (as allergens are impossible to avoid completely).

A combination of the two is often the most successful method of controlling symptoms.

Avoiding pollen and spores

Pollen and spores are a problem in towns and cities as well as in the countryside. This is because they are small and light enough to be carried in the air over great distances during the course of the day.

Most pollen is released in the morning and rises skywards with the heat of the day. It then gets whisked overland by winds and breezes. The pollen then sinks back to earth late afternoon/early evening as the temperature starts to drop.

Although it's difficult to avoid pollens and spores completely, there are several sensible and worthwhile precautions you can take.

Indoors

  • Keep doors and windows closed, especially mid-morning and late afternoon/early evening. These are the times when the pollen count is usually at its highest
  • Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
  • Avoid drying your clothes outside. But if you do, give them a good shake before bringing them back into the house. That way you'll get rid of any pollen and spores that might have blown onto them
  • If you've been out walking or gardening, shower, wash your hair and change your clothes when you get back in. That way you won't be carrying spores and pollen around the house
  • Splash your eyes with cold water regularly. This will help flush out any pollen. It will also soothe and cool your eyes
  • Keep furry pets out of the house during the hay fever season. If your pet does come indoors, wash or bathe them regularly to remove any lingering pollen from their fur
  • Keep fresh flowers out of the house
  • Another important tip is to stop people from smoking in your home. Smoking – and breathing in other people's smoke – irritates the lining of your nose, eyes, throat and airways. This can make your hay fever symptoms worse

Avoiding indoor allergens

If you have perennial rhinitis and are allergic to the house-dust mite:
  • Use barrier covers for your bedding
  • Hot wash (at 60°C) all bedding at least once a week
  • Vacuum frequently using a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner
  • Dust regularly with a damp cloth
  • If you don't already own a pet, think carefully before getting one
  • If you already have a family pet, keep it out of lounge and bedroom areas and bathe it regularly
  • Give up smoking and don't let others smoke in your home. Chemicals in cigarette smoke can make allergies worse

Outdoors

  • Check the pollen forecast on the television or in the newspaper before venturing outside. This will give you the chance to stay indoors if there's a high pollen count
  • Wear wraparound sunglasses. These will help stop pollen blowing into your eyes
  • Smear Vaseline inside your nose. It might sound horrible, but it can help to stop pollen and spores from settling on the lining of your nose
  • Keep your car windows closed. Some cars can be fitted with pollen filters. Ask at your local garage for further details
  • Try to stay out of places with lots of grass, like parks or fields
  • Try to avoid mowing the lawn or weeding. These activities can create clouds of pollen and spores
  • If you enjoy gardening, consider creating a hay fever-friendly environment for yourself. Grow insect-pollinated plants like the geranium, iris and clematis. Consider replacing the lawn with attractive paving. Don't grow any new hedges and don't cut existing ones yourself. Do away with compost heaps (which produce mould spores).

At exam time

Teenage girl in school uniform, poring over school work at a desk.

If you're getting ready to sit an exam, it's important that you get your hay fever symptoms under control as early as possible. Once your hay fever is under control you'll find yourself sleeping better at night. This means you'll feel much fresher during the day, and will be able to concentrate much harder on your revision. And you'll obviously feel a lot better in yourself if you're not sneezing or sniffing or itching your eyes all the time.

Before your exam

  • See your doctor well in advance of the hay fever season (and certainly no later than the Easter holidays) to make sure you've got the right treatment
  • Tell your teacher you have hay fever. Your teacher might want to write to the exam board on your behalf. The exam board might take your hay fever into account when your paper is marked - especially if your symptoms are really bad during the exam

On exam day

  • Take your regular medication
  • Tell the adjudicator if your hay fever is bothering you
  • Splash your eyes with cold water before going into the exam room
  • Try not to sit near an open window
  • Keep a supply of tissues and an effective, quick-acting hay fever treatment close at hand – just in case. (And good luck!)

On holiday

Cayo Levisa, beach in Cuba.

The hay fever season varies from country to country. It all depends on the climate and the type of vegetation. However, it is possible to plan a holiday that won't be ruined by your hay fever.

  • Go somewhere which has low pollen counts all year round. For example, there is generally less pollen around in coastal areas where the breeze blows fresh air in off the sea. Mountain regions and moorland contain fewer pollen-producing plants and can be kinder on your hay fever
  • Try visiting places outside their peak pollen season. For example, the grass pollen season in Mediterranean regions starts and finishes about five weeks earlier than in northern Europe. This means that by mid-July the pollen count in popular holiday destinations like southern Spain, France, Italy, Greece and the Mediterranean islands is usually well past its peak. Grass pollen is at its most abundant in Florida between April and October. In the Caribbean it's a problem in June, July and from October to March

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