• The pollen season can start as early as January and end as late as November
• Around 18 million people in the UK suffer from hayfever, and incidence rates are on the rise
• There are around 30 types of pollen that can cause hayfever
• People who have hayfever are at an increased risk of developing asthma
• The number of older people suffering from hayfever continues to rise
• Hayfever is more common in boys than girls, but affects adult men and women equally. Some 10-15 per cent of children and 26 per cent of adults in the UK are affected
• Many people find their symptoms improve as they get older, with symptoms disappearing completely in around 10-20 per cent of people
• There is currently no cure for hayfever, but most people are able to relieve their symptoms – at least to a certain extent – with treatments and self care measures
• Without treatment, hayfever can lead to complications such as asthma, sinusitis and middle ear infections, as well as having a serious impact on quality of life
• In some people, there is a correlation between pollen levels and anxiety.

Track it!

Pollen levels, also known as the pollen count, vary with the time of year and weather. In general:

• Tree pollen (e.g. birch) is released during spring. However, trees such as hazel and yew may cause symptoms as early as February, while oak pollen may persist into June
• Grass pollen is released at the end of spring and the beginning of summer and affects around 90 per cent of hayfever sufferers
• Weed pollen, such as nettle, is released from early spring through to late autumn.