What is hay fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen. The medical name for hay fever is seasonal allergic rhinitis. You can develop hay fever at any age.
What is pollen?
Pollen is a tiny grain produced by some plants and trees.
The main types of pollen that cause hay fever are:
- tree pollen
- grass pollen
- weed pollen.
There are around 30 different types of pollen that can cause hay fever. You can be allergic to more than one type of pollen.
Use our pollen calendar
Temperature, wind, rain and sunshine can affect how much pollen is in the air and when the pollen season starts.
Our pollen calendar shows you when pollen levels are highest in the UK. You can use this to help you find which type of pollen is causing your hay fever symptoms.
Hay fever symptoms
Pollen can get into your mouth, nose and eyes. If you're allergic, it can trigger hay fever symptoms.
Hay fever symptoms include:
- sneezing
- a runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red or watery eyes
- swollen eyelids
- itchy throat, nose, mouth, and ears
- loss of smell
- pain around the side of your head and forehead
- headache
- earache
- feeling weak and tired.
Hay fever is usually worse between March and September because this is when the pollen count is at its highest.
When to see your GP
Pharmacists can give you advice and suggest the best treatments to help your symptoms.
See your GP if:
- your hay fever, asthma, or lung condition symptoms are get worse
- you're not sure what's causing your symptoms
- your symptoms do not improve after using hay fever treatments.
We know it can be hard to get a GP appointment. If you need help, read our advice about getting in touch with your GP.
Do I have hay fever or a chest infection?
Hay fever |
Cold or chest infection |
| Symptoms can last for a few weeks or even months | Symptoms usually get better after one to two weeks |
| Your phlegm (mucus) will usually be clear | You might cough up green or yellow phlegm (mucus) |
Can hay fever affect your lung condition?
Hay fever can affect you if you have a lung condition. In a recent survey, 1 in 3 people told us that pollen triggers their lung condition symptoms.
Asthma
Hay fever can trigger asthma symptoms like:
- coughing
- wheezing
- chest pain or a tight chest
- feeling short of breath.
Having hay fever and asthma can increase your risk of having an asthma attack.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Hay fever can make COPD symptoms, like coughing and wheezing, worse and can lead to a COPD flare-up.
Air pollution and hay fever
Air pollution, like exhaust fumes, can increase your chance of getting hay fever symptoms. This happens more in cities and towns.
Poor air quality can irritate your airways. If your airways are irritated, even small amounts of pollen in the air can cause symptoms of hay fever and your lung condition.
Help us fight for clean air
We're campaigning for everyone's right to breathe cleaner air. To join us in the fight for clean air, visit our clean air campaigns hub.
Outdoor mould and allergies
If you're allergic, outdoor mould in the air can trigger the same symptoms as hay fever.
Outdoor mould is a fungus found in damp and humid conditions like concrete, wood or even garden soil. It releases tiny cells (called spores) into the air which you can breathe in but cannot see.
Thunderstorms and hay fever
Thunderstorms can trigger asthma, especially if you have hay fever.
They can cause asthma attacks and make symptoms like breathlessness, wheezing and coughing worse.
This is sometimes called thunderstorm asthma. Thunderstorm asthma is rare and does not affect everybody with asthma.
Read more about why thunderstorms can trigger your asthma and what you can do about it.
Can thunderstorms affect other lung conditions?
There is some evidence that emergency hospital admissions for COPD rise after thunderstorms. More research is needed to explain this link.
We have more information on how to treat your hay fever to help prevent it from causing a flare-up of your lung condition.
Get support
Call or WhatsApp our Helpline for support with your condition. Get advice on your medicines, symptoms or travelling with a lung condition, or just call us to say hello.
