• Question: What is hayfever?

    Asked by mildredmad to Gioia, Iain, Jo, Leo, Mariam on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by bechope.
    • Photo: Leo Garcia

      Leo Garcia answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Hayfever is an allergy to pollen or dust, resulting in itching, sneezing and snot production. I suffer from hayfever, and it is very unenjoyable! Apparently there is medication which you can be prescribed which is much stronger than that you can buy over the counter in Boots – so I am hoping that this will make the summer a little less snotty for me!

    • Photo: Iain Moal

      Iain Moal answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Hayfever is what happens when your immune system overreacts to pollen. Your body is primed to attack any particles that aren’t suppost to be there, in case they are part of a virus or bacteria or something. Sometimes this mechanism is triggered accidentally by pollen.

    • Photo: Mariam Orme

      Mariam Orme answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hay fever is an allergic response to pollen (its proper name is allergic rhinitis).
      Allergic responses occur when your immune system reacts to things it shouldn’t really react to – pollen wouldn’t do you any harm, so there’s no point your immune system getting activated.

    • Photo: Joanna Watson

      Joanna Watson answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hayfever is an allergic reaction to pollen, which usually leads to the sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes that you will be familiar with.

      Hayfever is one of the ways in which your immune system (which usually does a great job protecting us from harmful things) can overreact to things which will do us little or no harm at all – in this case pollen.

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