Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
Seasonal allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, causes nasal and eye symptoms during exposure to particular airborne allergens. Similar symptoms can also come from infection, irritants or year-round allergy.
Key takeaways
- Sneezing, clear runny nose, nasal itch and itchy watery eyes favour allergy; fever and marked body aches suggest another cause.
- Timing, environment, asthma symptoms and response to avoidance help identify likely triggers; testing is useful only in selected cases.
- Oral antihistamines, nasal treatments and eye drops target different symptoms and have different adverse-effect profiles.
Catalogue matches do not confirm an allergy or show that a specific antihistamine or nasal product is suitable.
How can exposure be reduced?
Trigger patterns differ by person and local pollen. Practical measures may include checking pollen information, changing clothes after exposure, keeping relevant allergens out of sleeping areas and using saline nasal rinses safely.
How are medicines selected?
Fexofenadine is a less-sedating antihistamine option, though interactions and kidney function can matter. Persistent nasal blockage may respond better to an appropriate nasal treatment than repeated oral tablets. See allergy relief.
When to seek urgent care
Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, throat or tongue swelling, fainting or rapidly progressing allergy symptoms. Eye pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision needs prompt assessment.
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