Allergic rhinitis, otherwise known as hay fever, affects millions of people each year most frequently in the warmer seasons, but sometimes during the winter as well. The name hay fever came around because of the reactions people would have when they gathered there hay crops. There are two types of hay fever: seasonal and perennial. Seasonal hay fever is caused by allergen sensitivity to the pollen that is released from various weeds, trees, and other plants. Perennial hay fever is experienced year-round and is caused by dust mites, pet hair, mold, insects, or sometimes, in rare occasions, food. You can go get tested by your doctor, if they do allergy tests, to easily find out if you have either one of these conditions.
Your body sees those foreign substances as a threats and reacts with a wide variety of symptoms which can make you feel like you are getting sick. How do you know if you are feeling symptoms from a sickness or if it just hay fever? There are multiple sources to find in-depth information of hay fever, such as Wikipedia, ACAAI, and the Mayo Clinic. Here are a few of the common symptoms:
1) Runny Nose or Stuffy Nose
This not just any other ordinary runny nose you experience with a cold, this is a very consistent runny nose that can go on for days or weeks without any medication or treatment. The biggest sign of hay fever in relation to a runny nose is that the secretion will be clear. If your secretion is any other color other than clear, you are likely sick. You can also get a stuffy nose if your body creates more mucus than normal. Not everybody will suffer
2) Sneezing
Sneezing is a very common symptom of hay fever. There really isn’t any way to prevent yourself from sneezing because of it being a natural reaction of your body and the unpredictability of it. The best thing for sneezing is to just let it happen, but always remember to cover your mouth!
3) Itches
One of the biggest symptoms you will find with hay fever is that you will be itchy, especially around your eyes and mouth. You can feel itchy on other areas of your body as well. You will want to rub those itchy, but that is the last thing you want to do. Itching those areas, just like a mosquito bite, will get worse. There are eye drops you can buy that will reduce the itch that will allow you to easily ignore it. Another good practice is to wear some sort of eye wear while you are outside, whether they are prescription glasses or sunglasses. This will help keep some of the allergens out of your eyes.
4) Swelling
In some cases you can experience swelling of the eyelids and nasal passages. This can cause difficulty breathing and affect your eye sight slightly, but it shouldn’t become serious enough to be hospitalized.
Hay fever is annoying, but it is manageable. There are a plethora of medications out there to help you manage the symptoms. Ask your doctor which medication would be most effective for you.
If You’re Still Not Sure if You Have Hay Fever or Not…
You can come see one of our award-winning doctors to see if you really are sick or if you just have hay fever. The process is very quick, simple, and we welcome walk-ins. Call us at (801) 724-9840 to schedule your appointment today!