Two of the factors that contribute to hay fever are pollution and weather.

Hay Fever

A common modern allergy is allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever.

It was first described at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution by Dr John Bostock, who described it in himself. It took him several years to identify a dozen or more hay fever sufferers. This shows that it was quite uncommon before the Industrial Revolution.

The incidence of hay fever has steadily increased since and it now affects almost 20% of the population in the UK. The peak age for contracting hay fever is 20 years, although many children suffer, and it may develop at any age.

Two of the factors that contribute to hay fever are pollution and weather.

Hay fever is twice as common in towns as in the country. This is largely as a result of road traffic pollution and the effect of sunlight on traffic pollution, which is referred to as "photochemical smog".

In 20 years the number of people treated for hay fever has risen over 400% although city pollen counts have dropped. Asthma and eczema are also rising in incidence by about 5% per year.

Many people suffer in sunny, bright weather; however, a proportion of people suffer more at the onset of wet, rainy weather. Some people are affected more as a result of the dramatic increase of mould spores which occur during rain and thunder storms.

Hay fever can occur at any time between February and September depending on the pollen(s) responsible. The commonest problem is with grasses and these pollens are produced from April to the end of September.

How Breakspear can help

Our hay fever programme is available for a package cost of £287.91* and includes:

• A consultation with a Breakspear physician, which will last approximately 15 minutes. After this, the doctor will make recommendations concerning treatment, where appropriate.
• A booklet with information and tips on how to change your environment and diet to improve your condition and a listing of the allergens for which you will be tested including such items as histamine, various moulds and pollens
• A specific allergen testing session in our testing ward, which will take approximately half a day. (Should you require any additional items to be tested, an estimate for this will be provided.)
• A prescription for a three-month supply of tailor-made low-dose immunotherapy vaccines and syringes for you to use at home. (Breakspear Medical Group has its own in-house licensed l
• aboratory which produces the vaccines.)
• A nutritional supplement programme to strengthen your immune system. Good nutrition is important because some foods can exacerbate symptoms; some people are helped by avoiding wheat and histamine-containing and histamine-releasing foods, such as cheese, strawberries, pork and shellfish. (The cost of the supplements varies patient to patient and therefore is not included in the treatment programme cost.)

Our hay fever programme is a safe and effective treatment.

For more information about our Hay Fever Programme, please contact either one of our Patient Liaison Officers, Carly Day or Emma Roberts, by phone 01442 261 333 ext. 310, or email: cday@breakspearmedical.com or eroberts@breakspearmedical.com

More information on other allergy/sensitivity topics

For more information on what allergies are, click on Allergy/sensitivity explained.

Read more about the on-going damage that allergy/sensitivity can cause.

Learn about allergy and environmental illness by understanding The Load Phenomenon.

Find out about the different ways how allergy and sensitivity can be tested.

For more information on low-dose immunotherapy, see our reference collection.

*Breakspear Medical Group reserves the right to alter prices without notice.