Key Information

What Is It?: Hay fever is not a cold or a viral infection. It is an allergic reaction your body has to certain tiny particles in the air.

The Goal: Recognising when and where your symptoms happen often gives us a good clue about the trigger.

Common Symptoms:

If you have hay fever, you may experience:

• Frequent sneezing (often several in a row).
• A runny or completely blocked nose.
• Itchy, red, or watery eyes.
• Itchiness in your throat, mouth, nose, or ears.
• Headaches and facial pain around the forehead and temples.
• Feeling unusually tired.

Is it a Cold or Hay Fever?

Because the symptoms are so similar, it is easy to confuse the two. The biggest clue is how long the symptoms last.

A Standard Cold

• Duration: Usually goes away within 1-2 weeks.
• Timing: Can happen at any time.

Hay Fever

• Duration: Can last for weeks or even months
• Timing: Often peaks during specific pollen seasons.

Identifying Your Triggers

Knowing your story usually tells us what we need to know about your triggers.

Seasonal Triggers (Late March to September)

If your symptoms are worse outdoors on warm, dry, sunny, and windy days, the most famous culprit is pollen (a fine powder released from trees, grasses, and weeds).

Year-Round Triggers (Indoor Allergies)

If you have symptoms all year round, and they are often worse indoors, the triggers could be:

• House Dust Mites: Tiny creatures living in dust, bedding, and carpets.
• Mould Spores: Often found in damp areas like bathrooms or kitchens.
• Pet Dander: Tiny flakes of skin or saliva from pets like cats and dogs.

Note: If the trigger isn't obvious from your symptoms, we might sometimes suggest allergy testing (like blood tests or skin prick tests) to help identify the exact cause.

What Happens Next?

If you are struggling to manage your symptoms with over-the-counter pharmacy treatments, please let us know so we can help.

Discuss Your Symptoms

Further Information

Managing Hay Fever

For more specific information about hay fever, including current pollen forecasts and self-care advice, please visit the NHS website.

Learn more about hay fever

Last reviewed: 28 April 2026
Next review due: 28 April 2029