Can I get hay fever in the winter?

Unfortunately, hay fever can be a yearlong problem for some people. There are such a wide variety of plants in the world that the pollens and spores that cause hay fever symptoms are present throughout all four seasons. Tree pollens can be particularly problematic in winter months if the weather remains mild. Birch, alder and hazel trees can start producing pollen as early as February when it is not particularly cold and wintry. Many sufferers are now finding that, due to global warming, the hay fever season is virtually non-stop. Flowers are budding and grass is growing which produces the pollens and grass seeds which get into the atmosphere. For those people who are sensitive to moulds rather than pollen, winter can be an especially trying time. Mould spores love the warm humid atmosphere that you find in the bathroom after a nice hot bath is run or a shower is taken. A good ventilation system can help to greatly reduce the accumulation of moulds in the bathroom and reduce hay fever symptoms.

Read more in the Allergies Information Guide »