Hay fever: Is it worse than ever?
As spring arrives, hay fever is back in the news for all the wrong reasons.
Don't suffer in silence. Here's our simple guide to hay fever...
Does hay fever happen every year?
It does, but experts are predicting that it could be worse than ever for many sufferers in 2008.
So why is it worse this year?
1 in 4 sufferers react to birch pollen which is predicted to be more severe this year. On top of that, more and more people are unlucky enough to be allergic to more than one type of pollen, which means they will suffer for longer than just the traditional summer months.
How many people suffer from hay fever?
More than 16 million of us experience the dreaded symptoms of sneezing, itchy eyes and runny nose. That's twice as many sufferers compared with 20 years ago.
What's caused the huge increase?
Not even the experts are totally clear. Many think it's down to a mix of three things:
1) Modern diet
2) Kids not coming into contact with as many bacteria and viruses as they used to.
3) Global warming means the pollen season is longer than ever.
How do I know what I'm allergic to?
The best way is to try and see an allergy specialist, but there are only 32 in the whole of the UK. Instead, you can get lots of advice from Allergy UK - their website has lots of articles and fact sheets that you can download.
What else do I need to watch out for?
Be careful when you're driving. A new study has found that sneezing at the wheel has caused 3 million drivers to lose control of their car.
- Read last week's health issue: food additives
More help and advice
- Quick tips on how to ease hay fever symptoms
- Get the facts about hayfever
- Try other users' remedies for hay fever
- Got any tips to ease hay fever misery? Tell others in Chat
By Rob Mansfield
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