Diseases & care
Hay Fever and Allergic Rhinitis Explained
Hay fever is a very common allergy that causes sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy, watery eyes. Its medical name is allergic rhinitis, meaning inflammation of the nose caused by an allergy. Hay fever usually reacts to pollen and tends to be worse in spring and summer, but similar symptoms can occur all year round from things like house dust mites or pets. Although rarely dangerous, hay fever can make people miserable, disturb sleep and affect concentration, work and school. The good news is that it can usually be managed well with simple measures and treatments from a pharmacist. This guide explains what causes it, how to reduce symptoms, and when to seek further help. It names no medicine doses.
Education and reference only. This article explains how treatments work in plain language — it contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician.
What causes hay fever
Hay fever happens when the immune system, the body's defence force, mistakes a harmless substance for a threat. That substance, called an allergen, is most often pollen from grass, trees or weeds. When it lands on the lining of the nose and eyes, the immune system overreacts and releases chemicals, including histamine, which cause the familiar symptoms. Different pollens peak at different times: tree pollen in spring, grass pollen in late spring and summer, and weed pollen later. This is why some people suffer only at certain times of year. When similar symptoms happen all year round, the culprit is usually an indoor allergen such as house dust mites, mould or animal fur rather than pollen.
Recognising the symptoms
The typical symptoms of hay fever are frequent sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy, red or watery eyes. Many people also have an itchy throat, mouth or ears, and feel tired or run down because poor sleep and constant congestion are wearing. Some notice their asthma is worse during pollen season, as the two conditions often go together. Hay fever does not cause a fever despite its name, and it does not spread from person to person. Because the symptoms overlap with a cold, people sometimes confuse the two; hay fever tends to last longer, comes without the aches of a virus, and flares in a seasonal pattern linked to being outdoors.
Reducing your exposure to pollen
Avoiding the allergen is the first line of defence, and small steps add up. On high-pollen days, it helps to stay indoors when counts peak, keep windows closed, and shower and change clothes after being outside to wash pollen away. Wearing wraparound sunglasses protects the eyes, and smearing a little barrier balm around the nostrils can trap pollen before it is breathed in. Drying washing indoors during the season stops pollen collecting on clothes. Pollen forecasts, widely available in weather apps, help you plan ahead. You cannot avoid pollen entirely, but combining these habits with treatment usually keeps symptoms manageable. For year-round rhinitis, reducing dust mites and managing pets can help instead.
Treatments from the pharmacist
Many effective hay fever treatments are available from a pharmacy without a prescription, and your pharmacist is an excellent first port of call. Antihistamines, taken as tablets or liquids, block the histamine that drives symptoms and help sneezing, itching and a runny nose. Steroid nasal sprays reduce inflammation in the nose and are particularly good for congestion, working best when started early in the season and used regularly. Eye drops can ease itchy, watery eyes. A pharmacist can recommend what suits you, taking account of your age, other conditions and medicines, and advise whether a non-drowsy option is best. Using treatments consistently, rather than only on bad days, generally gives the best control.
When to see your GP
Most hay fever is managed with pharmacy treatments and self-care, but see your GP if symptoms are severe, do not improve despite regular treatment, or are seriously affecting your sleep, work or school. Your GP can review your treatment, check whether something else is going on, and consider stronger or combined options. If your asthma flares during pollen season, mention it, as your asthma plan may need adjusting. For a small number of people with troublesome allergies that do not respond to usual measures, specialist services can offer allergy testing and a treatment called immunotherapy. Uncontrolled hay fever is not something you simply have to put up with; help is available.
In short
Key takeaways
- Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction, usually to pollen, causing sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes.
- It does not cause a fever and is not contagious, despite the name, and often flares in a seasonal pattern.
- Reducing pollen exposure, such as staying in on high-pollen days and showering after being outside, helps a lot.
- Antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays and eye drops from a pharmacist are effective, especially when used regularly.
- See your GP if symptoms are severe, persistent despite treatment, or your asthma worsens during the pollen season.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell hay fever apart from a cold?
They share symptoms like a runny nose and sneezing, but there are clues. Hay fever often causes itchy, watery eyes and an itchy nose or throat, which colds rarely do, and it does not bring a fever or body aches. Hay fever tends to last for weeks and flares when you are outside or on high-pollen days, whereas a cold usually clears within a week or so and can strike at any time of year. If symptoms return every spring or summer, hay fever is likely. A pharmacist can help you decide and recommend treatment.
Can children take hay fever medicines?
Many hay fever treatments have versions suitable for children, but the right choice depends on the child's age. Always ask a pharmacist or GP before giving any medicine to a child, and follow the instructions on the packet carefully. Non-drowsy antihistamines and children's formulations are commonly used. Alongside medicine, simple measures help: keeping windows shut on high-pollen days, wiping the child's face after playing outside, and washing bedding regularly. If a child's hay fever is severe, affecting their sleep or schoolwork, or their asthma worsens in pollen season, see your GP for advice.
Does hay fever ever go away for good?
It can change over time. Some people find their hay fever eases as they get older, while others develop it later in life or find it varies from year to year depending on pollen levels. There is no simple cure, but for most people it can be well controlled with avoidance measures and treatments. For those with severe, persistent allergy that does not respond to usual treatments, a specialist may offer immunotherapy, which gradually reduces the immune system's overreaction over time. For the majority, though, sensible self-care and pharmacy treatments keep symptoms comfortably in check each season.
Go deeper
Related guides
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, Allergic rhinitis
- NHS, Hay fever: symptoms, treatment and prevention
- Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Allergic rhinitis in children guidance
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