Sore Ears? Pollen Could Be To Blame

Severe hay fever symptoms are nothing to sniff at and according to research commissioned by Olbas, six in ten people with hay fever struggle with severe symptoms such as earache (18%), facial pain (19%) and even losing their sense of smell entirely (22%). 

The condition, which is incurable, is most commonly characterised by a blocked nose, frequent sneezing and red, itchy, or watery eyes but in fact, there are more serious symptoms that have caused 29% of people surveyed to take time off work and 16% to have even cancelled dates. 

Sufferers Struggle To Be Taken Seriously 

Despite these difficult symptoms, a quarter of people surveyed said that they don’t feel believed about how much hay fever impacts their lives and 79% said that they’d been told by a non-sufferer that hay fever is not a good enough reason to not show up to something. 

Of the 1,500 hay fever sufferers polled by Olbas, a quarter say that they have been accused of ‘making it up’ by those who don’t experience symptoms.

Speaking to The Mirror, Dr Roger Henderson, a GP and spokesperson for Olbas said, “People who don’t suffer from allergies often think the effects aren’t very serious. But our research shows just what a massive impact it is having on their lifestyles – and also the inquisition they have to face as a result of missing out.”

So, What Are The Symptoms Of Hay Fever?

According to the NHS, symptoms of hay fever are:

• Sneezing and coughing 
• A runny or blocked nose
• Itchy, watery red eyes
• Itchy throat, mouth, nose, and ears
• Loss of sense of smell
• Pain around temples and forehead
• Headache
• Earache
• Tiredness

Additionally, asthma sufferers could experience a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and wheezing. 

How To Treat Hay Fever At Home?

Although the condition is incurable, there are ways that you can mitigate some of the symptoms. 

• As much as possible, try to keep windows closed when pollen counts are high
• Shower and change your clothes whenever you come back in from being outside to wash pollen off 
• Vacuum regularly 
• Limit the time that you spend outside, especially around grass and trees 
• Don’t keep fresh flowers at home 
• Don’t dry your clothes outside as they can catch pollen