Health tip: hay fever don't bother me

(Inside Aotea, October 2009)

Hey fever, don’t bother me!

Doctors know it as allergic rhinitis, you probably know it better as hay fever. But whatever you call it, the runny, itchy nose and watering eyes are hard to ignore.

Though people can suffer from it at any time of the year and from a wide range of sources (including dust mites, mould spores and flakes of animal skin or hair), it is most commonly experienced during spring and summer when pollen is on the increase.

So, our simple and practical advice for the coming months, if you suffer from seasonal hay fever, is to: minimise any early morning outdoor activity when most pollen is usually emitted (between 5 and 10am), keep your windows closed when you travel by car and keep your lawns cut to reduce flowering.

In addition, taking the advice of your medical practitioner and using regular anti-histamines and nasal sprays will give you relief.