DOCTORS are warning that people take extra care with the hay fever season approaching.
Nottingham is forecast to have a low pollen count on both Friday May 9 and Saturday May 10 but Dr Guy Mansford, chief clinical officer for NHS Nottingham West Clinical Commissioning Group is warning people to take precautions.
He said: "Over the counter remedies are effective and relatively inexpensive so it's important to use pharmacies and remedies before symptoms get worse.
"People who have common allergic conditions like eczema and asthma should see their GP as they may need regular preventative medication as well as advice about emergency treatment."
Research suggests that Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, also known as hay fever, affects 1 in 5 people at some point in their life, with over 10 million cases in the UK alone.
It is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways, triggered by airborne allergens such as pollen, with grass pollen considered to be the most common cause of hay fever in the UK.
Global warming has been linked to a rise in hay fever cases in recent years and symptoms commonly flare up between May and July but can be as early as March and as late as November.
Symptoms include sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy or watery eyes, a persistent cough, headaches and fatigue.
For more information on allergies, call Allergy UK on 01322 619898 or visit www.allergyuk.org.
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