The arrival of autumn is commonly welcomed with a sigh of relief for those with hay fever symptoms who have suffered throughout spring and summer.
The most common groups of pollen that cause hay fever are trees, grass and weeds.
Hay fever is usually at it’s worst for sufferers when the pollen count us at its highest, which traditionally has been from from March until May, although it can stay prominent throughout the rest of the summer in June, July and August.
This should mean that by September things are calming down a bit.
But if you’re still experiencing what feels like hay fever come the autumn, does that mean its you’re allergies again or could you just be getting a cold?
Can you get autumn hay fever?
While different types of pollen do tend to predominantly cause hay fever and allergies over the spring and summer seasons, unfortunately, autumn can bring with it problems as well.
Although pollen levels have passed their peak by the autumn in the UK, certain pollens such as grass pollen and nettle pollen are still in season.
Autumn hay fever is caused by the cooler autumnal breeze containing these irritants in the air that then cause people’s allergies to flare up again.
Allergy Nurse Maureen Jenkins and Allergy UK recommend the following tips for anyone who feels like they are suffering from autumn hay fever:
- Keep the garden clear of fallen leaves and other debris.
- Choose the closed type of composter and keep away from the house as these can harbour fungi.
- Keep internal doors shut when cooking or showering to reduce moisture passing through the house.
- Change your clothing when returning home as pollen clings to hair and clothing and shower or bath before going to bed to avoid pollen transferring to your bed sheets.
What is the difference between hay fever symptoms and a common cold or coronavirus?
While some hay fever symptoms are similar to those of a seasonal cold such as a feeling of congestion and a runny nose, if you are sneezing and have itchy, watery eyes as well then it is likely you are suffering from hay fever rather than a common cold.
As explained by the NHS, the primary symptoms of coronavirus are:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
These symptoms are not commonly associated with hay fever.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may have Covid-19 and are advised to get a test to check if you have coronavirus and stay at home until you get your result.
Find out more on the NHS website.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/18/can-you-get-autumn-hay-fever-september-13289766/
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