Tips to help avoid symptoms of hay fever

The summer is supposed to be all about having fun, but for hay fever sufferers, it can be the very opposite. Recent research shows that 60% of Irish people who suffer from hay fever experience sleep deprivation, a quarter argue with their partner and 20% avoid sex due to their symptoms. That doesn’t sound like much fun to us!

These figures come from new Irish research conducted on behalf of Prevalin, the natural nasal spray for hay fever. Commenting on the effect hay fever has on people’s lives, Dr. Dore Geraghty said “Seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is a severe debilitating condition that affects an estimated 20% of the population. It is often under diagnosed, under treated and underestimated in its severity.”

Irish people are missing out on more than sleep and sex due to hay fever (which is bad enough in itself!). The survey found that 56% of sufferers missed out on exercise, 51% have avoided going out with friends and 20% have even skipped meals due to hay fever.

While it’s impossible to avoid pollen completely, here are some tips from Dr. Geraghty on how you can avoid the worst symptoms of hay fever:

Keep windows closed during pollen season both in the house and in the car
Use air conditioning if you have it
Avoid mowing the lawn and stay indoors when the grass has been cut
Wear wrap-around sunglasses
Avoid drying clothes outside during pollen season as the spores will attach to the clothes
Shower and wash hair every evening
Check pollen counts regularly
Plan holidays to avoid pollen season
Early morning is when the greatest amount of pollen is emitted, if possible try to stay indoors during this time
Get the pollen filter in your car regularly changed.