Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, usually when it comes into contact with your mouth, nose, eyes and throat. Pollen is a fine powder from plants.

Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest.

Check the pollen forecast on the Met Eireann website

Hay fever symptoms

Symptoms of hay fever include:

• sneezing and coughing
• a runny or blocked nose
• itchy, red or watery eyes
• itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• loss of smell
• pain around your temples and forehead
• headache
• earache
• feeling tired

Asthma and hay fever

If you have asthma, you might also:

• have a tight feeling in your chest
• be short of breath
• wheeze and cough

Hay fever may last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks.

Hay fever treatment

There’s currently no cure for hay fever and you can’t prevent it. But you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high.

To ease your hay fever symptoms:

Do

• put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
• wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
• shower and change your clothes after you’ve been outside to wash the pollen off
• stay indoors whenever possible
• keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
• vacuum often
• dust with a damp cloth
• buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car

Don’t

• do not cut grass or walk on grass
• do not spend too much time outside
• do not keep fresh flowers in the house
• do not smoke or be around smoke – it makes your symptoms worse
• do not dry clothes outside – they can catch pollen
• do not let pets into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoors

When to see a pharmacist

Speak to your pharmacist if you have hay fever. They can give advice and suggest the best treatments. These include antihistamine drops, tablets or nasal sprays.

These treatments can help with:

• itchy and watery eyes and sneezing
• a blocked nose

When to see a GP

If you are not seeing any improvement from the pharmacist’s treatment, your GP may be able to help.

Visit your GP if:

• your symptoms are getting worse
• your symptoms don’t improve after taking medicines from the pharmacy