What we colloquially call hay fever is called allergic rhinitis. Exposure to a specific allergen (or allergens) triggers an immune response in the body. This leads to inflammation and swelling of the tissues lining the nasal passages of the nose.

A number of allergens can cause this reaction: pollen (from trees, grass or weeds), dust mites, pet dander, dander, mold and some air pollutants.

People with allergies that are only present during part of the year, such as to pollen, experience what we call seasonal hay fever, while people with allergies that can be present at any time, such as to dust mites and pet dander animals experience perennial hay fever.

Getting a diagnosis

Many people with hay fever self-manage their symptoms by limiting exposure to allergens and using over-the-counter antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays.

But this may require help from your GP and confirmation that you have hay fever. Your healthcare provider can evaluate your symptoms and medical history, make a diagnosis, and help treat and manage your symptoms.

Your healthcare provider can also help you identify potential allergens based on when your symptoms occur and the environment you are in.

If symptoms persist, your healthcare provider may suggest allergy testing. They may refer you to an immunologist to determine which allergen is causing your symptoms using skin prick tests or blood tests. Tests usually involve controlled exposure to small amounts of suspected allergens.

But be aware that there are a number of tests sold online that are not tested or recommended by reputable organizations.

How else can I tell what I’m allergic to?

For those with seasonal hay fever, resources are available to help manage exposure based on the blooming seasons of common allergy-causing species or through pollen forecasting services.

The Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy provides a useful guide to pollen for each species and when they are most likely to cause symptoms, broken down by each state and territory.

Pollen monitoring and forecasting services such as Perth Pollen, Melbourne Pollen and Sydney Pollen, as well as other cities, can help you plan your outdoor activities.

These services also have corresponding phone apps that can send notifications when pollen counts are high. You can download these apps (such as AirRater, Perth Pollen, Melbourne Pollen and Sydney Pollen) from your preferred app store.

Apps like AirRater also allow you to enter information about your symptoms, which can then be correlated with environmental conditions at the time (pollen counts, temperature, smoke, etc.).

Using statistical modeling, the app will be able to establish a relationship between symptoms and exposure. If the correlation is set high enough, the app can send you notifications when the risk of infection is high. This may prompt you to limit outdoor activities and keep any medications on hand.

Ryan Mead-Hunter is a senior lecturer in the School of Population Health at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.

This article has been republished from Talk under Creative Commons license. Read original article.