Health & Wellness
ASTHMA & HAYFEVER
Information from Asthma Australia:
Asthma and allergies are closely linked. Most people with asthma have allergic asthma.
The most common type of allergy that overlaps with asthma is allergic rhinitis – also known as hay fever.
About 80% of people with asthma also have hay fever. Both create sensitivity in your airways. Asthma creates sensitive lungs, while hay fever is in the nose. Your nose and lungs are connected, so hay fever can trigger your asthma. Treating your hay fever well is one of the best ways to improve your asthma control.
If your asthma and allergies are seasonal, it is best to start preventative treatment BEFORE the season starts, to keep your lungs and nose calm from the get-go, rather than trying to reclaim control later.
- Asthma preventers take 2-4 weeks to reach full effect for most people, occasionally up to 12 weeks. Guidelines recommend starting at least 2 weeks before your trigger season if you don’t take them year-round.
- Allergy nasal sprays (steroid sprays) take a few days to reach their full effect. It takes between 3-36 hours for them to kick in after first dose. Get ready for pollen season by starting them before your allergies start.
Can Hayfever Make Asthma Worse?
Yes, hay fever can make your asthma worse. Another word for hay fever is “allergic rhinitis.”
Most people with asthma have hay fever too, the two conditions are linked. Hay fever affects 80 percent of people with asthma.
Asthma and hay fever both involve inflammation and sensitivity in your airways – in your nose and lungs. Uncontrolled hay fever symptoms can worsen asthma symptoms. If left unchecked, this can seriously impact your quality of life or that of your child. It can also put your health in danger.
It is important to treat the allergies in your nose, as well as treating asthma in the lungs.
What is Hayfever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to particles found in the air breathed in through your nose. The particles could be pollens or grasses, dust mites, mould or animal dander. These are called ‘triggers’.
Breathing in a trigger causes your body to react with an “immune response” in the lining of the nose. This causes the inside of your nose to become red, swollen, and sensitive. When this happens, you can experience hay fever symptoms.
What Does Hayfever Feel Like?
THE MOST COMMON SIGNS OF HAY FEVER ARE:
- Itchy nose or eyes
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Blocked nose
- Throat clearing or coughing to clear the throat
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Always feeling like you have a head cold
- You may feel tired
You do not need to have all these symptoms to have hay fever. You might only experience a few.
OTHER SIGNS OF HAY FEVER
- Disturbed sleep
- Daytime tiredness
- Poor concentration
- Recurrent headaches
- Frequent sore throats
- Hoarse voice
- Reduced sense of smell
- Recurrent sinus infections in adults, causing facial pain or pressure
- Frequent ear infections in children
Some people may experience hay fever at certain times of the year like spring or summer due to pollens in the air. Other people experience these symptoms all year round and need treatment all year.
If you have any of these signs or symptoms, tell your doctor. Your doctor can help you figure out if hay fever is causing them, and what the best treatment for you is.
What Are the Best Ways to Treat My Asthma and Hayfever?
Treating asthma and hay fever is important.
Hay fever can trigger asthma or make it worse, making it harder to breathe.
Having both asthma and hay fever also means you may risk of thunderstorm asthma. Learn more about asthma and hay fever here.
Hay fever is sometimes called ‘allergic rhinitis’ because it is an allergic condition. People often use several strategies to manage their asthma and allergies.
This usually includes:
- Getting the right plan and medications in place to best handle symptoms.
- If you get hay fever year-round, this means your treatment needs to be year-round. Speak to your doctor about your treatment options to make sure you have the best treatment for your situation and severity.
- Checking you are using your asthma and hay fever medications correctly
- Being aware of your triggers and trying to reduce your exposure to them.
People have told us that the cost of their medicine is a factor that makes it hard to always be consistent with their hay fever and asthma management. If this applies to you, ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are any cheaper options that are suitable.
People have told us that the cost of their medicine is a factor that makes it hard to always be consistent with their hay fever and asthma management. If this applies to you, ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are any cheaper options that are suitable.
Other Tips for People with Hayfever
We recommend going to your doctor if you are experiencing any of hay fever.
Be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant, have other medical conditions, take other medications, or experience nose bleeds.
If your hay fever affects your asthma a lot, it may be worth asking your doctor for an allergy test. An allergy test will help you and your doctor pinpoint your triggers and adjust treatments and lifestyle advice to suit.
By finding out the cause, you can then take on other strategies to help in addition to your treatment. This includes things like:
- tracking pollen monitoring in your area
- removing dust traps in the home like old curtains, carpets, and cleaning with damp cloths
- washing linen and bedding more frequently