Hay fever

Hay fever

Hay fever affects up to 30% of all Americans, including up to 40% in kids and 10% -30% adults population . More than one billion dollars are spent each year in this country to treat this disorder, and millions of school and work days are lost each year by people with hay fever symptoms. These figures are probably underestimated because many affected individuals may attribute their discomfort to a chronic cold. Although childhood hay fever tends to be more common, this condition can occur at any age and usually occurs after years of repeated inhalation of allergens. The incidence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically in the United States and other developed countries in recent decades.

Hay fever is a misnomer. The hay is usually not a cause of this problem and it could not cause fever. Early descriptions of sneezing, nasal congestion and eye irritation while harvesting hay on the ground promoting this popular term. Allergic rhinitis is the best term used to explain this allergic reaction, and many different substances cause allergic symptoms observed in hay fever. Rhinitis means irritation of the nose and its a derivative of rhinos, meaning nose. Allergic rhinitis, it occurs in a specific season is called seasonal allergic rhinitis. When this occurs all year,  then its is called perennial allergic rhinitis. Rhino sinusitis is the medical term for inflammation of the nasal mucosa and tissues lining the sinuses. This term is even used, because the two conditions often occur together.

RISK FACTORS
The following factors may increase your risk for developing hay fever allergies:

• Having other allergies or asthma .
• Having a close a relative by blood (as a parent, brother or sister) who suffer from allergies or asthma.
• Male gender is more prone to allergies .
• Exposed to cigarette smoke during your first year of life who live or work in an environment that you are constantly exposed to allergens - such as pet hair.

COMPLICATIONS
Issues that may be associated with hay fever are:

• Quality of life reduced. Hay fever can disturb your enjoyment of activities and cause you to be less productive. For many people, the symptoms of hay fever lead to absences from work or school.

• Bad sleep quality. Hay fever symptoms can keep you awake or it is difficult to stay asleep.

• Aggravation of asthma. If you have asthma, hay fever can worsen the signs and symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.

• Sinusitis. Extended sinus congestion caused by hay fever can increase your susceptibility to sinusitis - an infection or inflammation of the membranes lining the sinuses.

• Ear infection. In children, hay fever is often a factor in middle ear infection (otitis media).