If you get hayfever, here are 9 things you should probably know.

I’m frequently told how much my daughter looks like me, but my sons, not so much. However, I did pass along several other traits to my youngest son, one being my environmental allergies and resulting hayfever – the lucky boy! 

Hayfever, also known as allergic rhinitis, affects millions of people worldwide and is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions in Australia. It's particularly prevalent here seasonally, but also all year round, and up to 9 in 10 hayfever sufferers experience moderate to severe symptoms. 

Allergic rhinitis happens when your immune system overreacts to allergens such as pollen, causing unpleasant symptoms. For us, these can range from the mild – itching (deep in the unscratchable ears and throat), sneezing, runny nose – to the more irritating, like swelling around the eyes, chronic headaches and secondary sinus infections.

Hayfever symptoms can have a debilitating impact on sufferers’ quality of life, beyond just a sneeze. In fact, according to World Allergy Organisation, up to 80 per cent of sufferers can feel tired, 65 per cent feel miserable and 64 per cent feel irritable (hard relate). 

With decades of hayfever experience behind me, I’ve built up an arsenal of tips to help manage the condition. If you're someone who feels allergic to the outside (and sometimes inside) world, here are 9 things you should know.

1. Identify your triggers

Understanding what triggers your hayfever symptoms can be incredibly helpful. Keep a symptom diary to identify patterns and common allergens in your environment. You might also consider seeing an allergist and having some skin prick tests done to narrow down the cause of your symptoms, as this can help you to avoid them in the first place. 

Image: Supplied.

2. Know your local pollen count

Just like checking the weather forecast, regularly checking the pollen count can help you plan your activities accordingly. Stay indoors when the count is high (wind is an enemy!) and try to go outside when it's lower – pollen levels are often highest in the early mornings, so where possible, staying indoors until after midday is ideal. 

3. Consider a nasal spray

A saline nasal rinse can help clear out pollen and other allergens from your nasal passages, helping to reduce irritation and congestion, followed by a medication nasal spray 10 minutes after rinsing. 

This is where a two-in-one treatment like Dymista Allergy Nasal Spray can be useful to relieve sneezing and runny, itchy, or blocked noses, which can be picked up at your local pharmacy without a script. It can be used by anyone over 12 years, and combines antihistamine (azelastine) and corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate) to start working from 5 minutes to treat moderate to severe hayfever symptoms.

4. Invest in some quality, high thread count bedding

No, this isn’t me just encouraging you to treat yourself in the New Year sales. One of the most surprising tips the allergist gave us after my son and I both tested positive for dust mite allergies is to get sheets with a minimum 300 thread count. This is because the tighter the weave, the harder it is for the tiny creepy crawlies to come up through them from the mattress. You can also get hypoallergenic pillowcases, mattress covers, and duvet covers to create a barrier against allergens while you sleep.

5. Ditch the outdoor line

Line drying clothing and bedding is a mortal enemy of the hayfever sufferer. Line-dried garments can come into your home covered in pollen, so as beautiful as sheets fresh out of the sunshine feel, give it a miss – you'll really notice the difference. 

6. Try an air purifier

Regularly dust your home and vacuum with a HEPA filter to minimise indoor allergens and consider using air purifiers to further improve the air quality in your living space.

7. Wear sunglasses

As well as protecting your eyes from the sun’s damaging rays, wearing wrap-around sunglasses can prevent pollen from reaching your eyes and triggering hayfever symptoms. And if your eyes are itchy, try to avoid rubbing them as this can lead to worse irritation, and try rinsing with water instead. 

8. Avoid smoke and chemical irritants

Smoke and strong chemical odours can risk worsening hayfever symptoms, as they irritate the lining of the nose. Where you can, minimise your exposure to these irritants as much as possible.

9. Drink plenty of water

Staying well hydrated is a no-brainer, as there's nothing worse than a dry throat which can be further irritated by allergens.

Living with hayfever doesn't have to be an ongoing struggle. By following these tips, you can manage your symptoms effectively and enjoy the changing seasons without constant discomfort and… well, misery. Take control of your hayfever and live your best life.

Dymista^® Allergy Nasal Spray is available in Australian pharmacies without a script. 

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. 

This article contains statements and descriptions unique to an individual and may not be representative of every patient’s experience with hayfever. For more information about Dymista^® Allergy, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

Dymista^® Allergy provides rapid nasal symptom relief from 5 minutes to treat moderate to severe hayfever symptoms. (Bousquet J et al. Allergy Clin Immunol Prac. 2018;6(5):1726-1732 funded by MEDA Pharma GmbH & Co. KG.) 

Feature Image: Getty.