What is hay fever and why do we have it?

Spring has finally sprung and while many welcome the stretch in the evenings and the warmer weather to come, and of course, the blossoming of nature, there are, however, those unlucky enough to suffer from hay fever.

Whether you’re in a town, village, or even in the most remote parts of our region, hay fever is often unavoidable in these months as plants and nature return to life around us.

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen and usually occurs when pollen comes into contact with your nose, mouth, eyes and throat and affects around 20% of people, being more likely if there is a family history of allergies, particularly asthma or eczema.

Pollen is a very fine powder produced by trees, flowers, grasses and weeds to fertilize other plants of the same species, and while it may help the world around us blossom and grow, it can also wreak havoc on the daily lives of those who struggle with hay fever.

Often, hay fever is worse between late March and September with the high pollen season for Ireland beginning in June as the pollen count is especially high when it’s warm, humid and windy.

During the high pollen months, you can track the pollen count on the Met Éireann website at www.met.ie or on www. asthma.ie.