Each spring, summer, and fall, trees, weeds and grasses release tiny pollen grains into the air. Some of the pollen ends up in your nose and throat. This can trigger a type of allergy called hay fever.
Symptoms can include
- Sneezing, often with a runny or clogged nose
- Coughing and postnasal drip
- Itching eyes, nose and throat
- Dark circles under the eyes
Taking medicines, using nasal sprays and rinsing out your nose can relieve symptoms. Allergy shots can help make you less sensitive to pollen and provide long-term relief.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Allergic Rhinitis
(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - Links to PDF - http://www.aaaai.org/patients/resources/easy_reader/rhinitis.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.aaaai.org/patients/resources/easy_reader/rhinitis_spanish.pdf - Hay Fever(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060123&content_id={758498ED-3CEE-41D8-96E8-5A2F0BD83C76}¬oc=1
- Allergies and Hay Fever(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/allergies.html
- Hay Fever(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/hay-fever/DS00174/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Antihistamine Drugs(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/antihistamine.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/2pager_SpanishAntihistamines.pdf
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Pollen
(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/asthma/pollen.cfm
- Oral Allergy Syndrome Made Worse by Ragweed, Fruits and Vegetables(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - http://www.aaaai.org/media/news_releases/2007/08/081307.stm
- Ragweed Allergy(Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America) - http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=19&cont=267
- Allergy Map: When Do Allergy Causing Pollens Bloom in Your Backyard?(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22911
- How to Distinguish Hay Fever from a Cold(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22914
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Rhinitis,+Allergic,+Seasonal%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The inner ear in patients with nasal allergy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18717140&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The effects of the nasal antihistamines olopatadine and azelastine in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18681089&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: New visions in specific immunotherapy in children: an iPAC summary... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18665964&tool=MedlinePlus
- Hay Fever -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=rhinitis,allergic,seasonal[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Find an Allergist: Search(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - http://www.aaaai.org/physref/
Also available in Spanish http://www.aaaai.org/physref/?espanol=yes
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology - http://www.aaaai.org/
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - http://www.aafa.org/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/community/espanol/
- FASTATS: Allergies/Hay Fever(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm
- Pollen & Mold Counts(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - http://www.aaaai.org/nab/index.cfm?p=pollen
- Allergy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html
- Ear, Nose and Throat - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/earnoseandthroat.html
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Hay Fever is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/