The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy

ASCIA EDUCATION RESOURCES (AER) TOPIC OF THE MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2002

Hay fever affects 2 in 5 people in Australia and New Zealand. While it is often considered to be a trivial illness, untreated hay fever has a significant impact on mood, learning and work performance. The condition lasts for several years in most cases and symptoms occur for many months each year.

Although there are no cures, effective treatment is available.

Hay fever symptoms

Hay fever is the common name for allergic rhinitis (from rhino meaning of the nose and itis meaning inflammatory) and allergic conjunctivitis (meaning allergic inflammation of the lining of the eyes). People with hay fever can also have problems with their throat and ears, and sinus infections are more common.

Symptoms occurring mainly in Spring and Summer are usually triggered by allergy to wind blown pollen grains from grasses, weeds or trees. When problems occur all year, they are usually triggered by allergy to house dust
mites, pets or mould. Diet has only a minor influence on symptoms in most people.

As well as sneezing, runny and blocked nose and irritated eyes, untreated hay fever can result in poor quality sleep, fatigue and daytime sleepiness. Severe hay fever can also:

• make asthma more difficult to control;
  
• make people more prone to sinus infections;
  
• impair learning and performance in children;
  
• result in bad breath, a husky voice and sore throat;
  
• make people tired and run down due to poor quality sleep;
  
• worsen snoring and the tendency to have sleep apnoea in adults; and
  
• result in more frequent eye infections because people rub itchy eyes.

Effective treatment is available

Although there is currently no cure for established hay fever, symptoms can be effectively treated and even prevented. Options include:

• Avoidance of allergic triggers - it is best to avoid the cause or reduce exposure if possible. Neither medication nor immunotherapy are substitutes for reducing exposure to allergic triggers.
  
• Medications - although they do not cure allergies, medications that are currently available are much more effective with fewer side effects than those used several years ago. You just need to know the best way to use them, and avoid medicines that can cause more problems than they solve, like decongestant ("unblocking") nose sprays. Your doctor or pharmacist can advise you about the best medications to treat your symptoms.
  
• Non-medicated treatments - however "natural" it may seem, you should inform your doctor or pharmacist of any "non-medicated" treatments (eg dietary supplements, herbs) you are taking. This is because they can sometimes cause side effects, interact with medications or even result in allergic reactions.
  
• Immunotherapy - is the closest thing to a cure for allergy. It involves injections of gradually increasing amounts of allergic material given over a period of years. These injections alter the way in which the immune system reacts to allergens, by "switching off" allergy.

Media inquiries and brochure requests:
Jill Smith, ASCIA Executive Officer 
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Content Updated 2002