How Do You Know If You Have Hay Fever?

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is caused by an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions happen when the body’s immune system has a reaction to a substance it sees as harmful, called an allergen. 

Hay fever usually occurs when an allergic person comes into contact with proteins from plants. Trees, grasses, and weeds produce tiny protein particles called pollen that is spread by the wind and inhaled. 

Symptoms of hay fever occur when pollen is in the air. Seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs during the pollen seasons: 

• Trees usually pollinate in the spring
• Grasses pollinate in the spring and summer
• Weeds tend to pollinate in the late summer and fall

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is diagnosed with a physical examination and medical history. Tests to determine allergens include: 

• Skin prick test (SPT)
• Intradermal skin test 
• Blood tests (specific IgE)
• Physician-supervised challenge tests 
• Patch test

Treatment of hay fever (allergic rhinitis) involves avoiding known allergens; however, avoidance of pollen can be difficult. 

To reduce symptoms of airborne allergens, it can be helpful to wash out the nose daily with a squeeze bottle filled with a nasal saline rinse or by using a Neti pot.

Medicines to treat symptoms of an allergic reaction include:  

• Nasal corticosteroids for nasal allergies
• Antihistamines for seasonal and indoor allergies
• Mast cell stabilizers to help with itchy, watery eyes or an itchy, runny nose
• Decongestants to reduce stuffiness
  • Do not use nasal decongestant sprays more than three days in a row or you may experience a rebound reaction, where symptoms get worse
• Corticosteroid creams or ointments to relieve skin itching and rash
• Oral corticosteroids to reduce swelling and stop severe allergic reactions 
• Epinephrine
  • May be prescribed for life-threatening anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)
  • Usually in the form of an epinephrine auto-injector “pen” device
  • Must be used within minutes of the first sign of a serious allergic reaction
  • For life-threatening allergic reactions to food, insect stings, latex, and medications 

Immunotherapy may be effective for some patients. The two common types of immunotherapy include:

• Allergy shots 
  • Involves injections of allergens in an increasing dose over time to desensitize the patient to that allergen
  • Allergy shots are often used to treat allergies to pollen, pets, dust, bees, or other stinging insects, and asthma
  • Allergy shots are not usually effective for allergies to food, medicines, feathers, or for hives or eczema
• Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)
  • Small doses of an allergen are administered under the tongue to improve tolerance to the allergen and reduce symptoms
  • SLIT is effective in treating nasal allergies and asthma caused by dust mites, grass, and ragweed