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This is a broad question that requires a broad answer, with information regarding symptoms, diagnosis/testing and treatment. For this reason, I'll break up this answer into these categories.

  1. Symptoms: The term "hay fever" originated in 1819 and was put forth by John Bostock, a London physician. In subsequent years, people felt the typical allergic symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, the medical term for "hay fever," were caused by the effluvium of hay itself. Typical allergic rhinitis symptoms consist of an itchy, runny nose, combined with occasional red, itchy eyes. Some individuals suffer from nasal congestion, headaches, increased sweating, breathing trouble, difficulty with sleep and voice changes.
  2. Diagnosis/Testing: The diagnosis of allergic rhinitis is usually straightforward, and is accomplished through examination of the patient and subsequent allergy testing. People who have allergic rhinitis often have nasal congestion, the lining of their nose may appear abnormal, and some people develop dark rings under their eyes. There are many features that support the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, but these are some of the most common ones. The best method to determine whether allergic symptoms are truly allergic is through allergy testing. This can be done in two ways: skin and blood testing. Skin testing is usually performed under the supervision of an allergist. It consists of making small scratches on the skin (usually the back), and placing small drops of different allergens onto the scratch. Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions, such as tree, grass or weed pollens. Once the scratch test is performed, any reactions are reassessed after 15 minutes. If a scratch test elicits a hive greater than 3x3mm in size, the test is considered "positive." Any positive reactions are indicative of an allergy to that substance. If no hive appears, or it is quite small, the test is considered "negative." Blood testing measures the levels of antibodies in the blood that are specific for the allergen in question. The higher the level of antibody, the more likely that the patient is allergic to that substance. For example, if a blood test shows a high level of antibody to ragweed pollen, then you can assume the patient is allergic to ragweed.
  3. Treatment: The treatment of allergic rhinitis comes in several different forms. The most common form of treatment is the use of antihistamines, such as Benadryl, Zyrtec, Allegra, etc. These medications counteract the effect that histamine causes in the body. Histamine is one of the most common chemicals produced by an allergic person after contact with an allergen. It causes the itching that is commonly found with allergic rhinitis, in addition to the congestion and/or runny nose. By blocking the effects of histamine, antihistamines can help patients feel much better. Unfortunately, antihistamines are often not enough to control the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. The other common class of medications used are nasal steroids. These medications work by decreasing the inflammation that occurs in allergic rhinitis. Inflammation is the body's response to an allergen. It consists of increased swelling, redness, and also contributes to the increased production of mucous in the nose. Nasal steroids block the inflammation from occurring, and thereby prevent the allergic reaction from occurring. These medications are highly effective, have little or no side effects, and when used in combination with antihistamines, can dramatically improve the quality of life for patients with allergic rhinitis.
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15y ago

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Does hay fever necessarily mean the fever contains hay?

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