Hay Fever

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is an allergic reaction to tiny particles in the air called allergens. When you breathe in allergens through your nose or mouth, your body reacts by releasing a natural chemical called histamine. Despite being called hay fever, hay doesn’t cause hay fever and most people don’t get a fever.

Symptoms of hay fever include sneezing, nasal congestion and irritation of your nose, throat, mouth and eyes. Allergic rhinitis isn’t the same as infectious rhinitis, otherwise known as the common cold. Hay fever isn’t contagious. Also, not all rhinitis is allergic. Many people suffer from nonallergic rhinitis resulting in similar symptoms. Inflammation causes rhinitis, not allergens or histamine release.

What triggers allergic rhinitis?

Several indoor and outdoor allergens cause hay fever. Common hay fever triggers include:

• Pollen from trees, weeds and plants.
• Mold spores.
• Pet dander.
• Dust mites.
• Cockroach droppings and saliva.

When do people usually get hay fever?

You can have hay fever any time of the year. Seasonal allergies occur in the spring, summer and early fall when trees and weeds bloom and pollen counts are higher. But pollen seasons can vary depending on your location, as well. Perennial allergies can happen year-round. They result from irritants that are always around, such as pet dander, cockroaches and dust mites.

How common is allergic rhinitis (hay fever)?

Hay fever is very common. In the United States, around 20% of the population has allergic rhinitis. In 2021, one study found that more than 81 million people had seasonal allergies.