Hay fever misery as cases soar 230% in heatwave
IF you’ve spent the recent heatwave happily soaking up the sunshine, spare a thought for the thousands who’ve been sniffing and sneezing.
Hay fever cases have trebled in the past month – as the hot spell has accelerated pollen production.
More than 37,000 patients a week are going to GPs in England with symptoms, a 50 per cent increase on the 25,000 weekly cases a year ago.
The number of visits has risen 230 per cent since the start of June when there were 11,353 appointments, according to the Royal College of GPs.
Mid- June traditionally marks the start of the main hay fever season as pollen is released into the air, causing misery for millions across the country.
The recent spate of visits to surgeries suggests the country is well into the peak of the season already.
Rates are at their highest for 2017 so far – and experts say it may have been intensified by the recent heatwave in which temperatures hit 95F (35C).
The glorious weather has seen plant growth accelerating, while the generally dry conditions have helped pollen spread far and wide.
Most affected are children aged five to 14, followed by those between 15 and 24.
Hay fever traditionally develops in school-age youngsters or during their teenage years and these groups are more likely to visit a GP with symptoms rather than using overthe-counter treatments.
Caused by an allergy to pollen, the condition is estimated to affect about one in ten Britons.
Grass pollen is the most common cause of reactions and tends to affect sufferers between May and July. Tree pollens tend to be most active from March to May and weed pollens from early spring to early autumn.
Symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes.
As the body’s immune system reacts to the pollen, cells in the lining of the nose and eyes release histamine and other chemicals.
These cause inflammation in the nose – a condition called rhinitis – and conjunctivitis in the eyes.
Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the college, said: ‘Each year, seasonal hay fever can cause untold misery to thousands of people across the country.
‘The weather may have taken a turn for the worse, but we are still seeing a steep rise in allergic rhinitis presentations in our surgeries – the highest so far in 2017 and higher compared to this time last year, which was surprisingly low.
‘Hay fever can be awful but the discomfort should only be temporary and there should be no longterm ill effects.
‘While in some cases it may be necessary to see a doctor, especially if the symptoms persist, there are many anti-histamine medications that can be bought over the counter inexpensively at your pharmacist that should provide effective relief. Patients that suffer from hay fever can also take simple steps to help minimise their exposure to pollen, such as wearing a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses, and to applying vaseline to nostrils to help trap pollen particles.’
Earlier this week it emerged that a quarter of GP appointments are avoidable – and include patients seeking help with form-filling or minor ailments such as hay fever.
This accounts for nearly 100,000million consultations a year – equivalent to the work of 10,000 full-time doctors. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association, said there was ‘significant potential’ to free up ‘tens of millions of appointments’.
About half the avoidable consultations were taken up by admin work, including patients who needed advice or prescriptions following hospital procedures, he added.
The rest comprised patients with minor ailments who could ‘self-care’ or go to a pharmacy.
‘Patients can take simple steps’