Hay Fever
Medical Author:
Suhaib Waqarul Haq, MBBS
Coauthor:
Aneela Naureen Hussain, MD, MBBS
Coauthor:
Sarah Samreen, MBBS
Medical Editor:
James E Keany, MD, FACEP
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Ron Fuerst, MD
Hay Fever SymptomsThe usual symptoms of hay fever include the following:
Hay Fever OverviewMost likely you or someone you know has allergies. The telltale itchy, puffy, watery eyes and red, stuffy nose signal changes in the seasons in homes and workplaces across the country. What these people suffer from is allergic rhinitis, or hay fever. The medical name for this condition refers to stuffy and itchy nose ("rhin-"), the most common symptom. Hay fever is an allergic reaction. It is your immune system's response to foreign material in the air you breathe. Hay fever usually refers to allergies to outdoor, airborne materials such as pollens and molds. About 15-20% of the population of the United States has some degree of hay fever. It is found equally in both men and women. Usually hay fever is seasonal, but it can last all year long if the allergen stays throughout the year. Spring and fall are the main hay fever seasons. Viewer Comments & ReviewsHay Fever - SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What were the symptoms of your hay fever? Hay Fever - ExperienceThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What symptoms and signs do you experience with your hay fever? |
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Hay Fever
Asthma Overview
Asthma is a disease that affects the breathing passages of the lungs (bronchioles). Asthma is caused by chronic (ongoing, long-term) inflammation of these passages. This makes the breathing passages, or airways, of the person with asthma highly sensitive to various "triggers."
- When the inflammation is "triggered" by any number of external and internal factors, the passages swell and fill with mucus.
- Muscles within the breathing passages contract (bronchospasm), causing even further narrowing of the airways.
- This narrowing makes it difficult for air to be breathed out (exhaled) from the lungs.
- This resistance to exhaling leads to the typical symptoms of an asthma attack.
Because asthma causes resistance, or obstruction, to exhaled air, it is called an obstructive lung disease. The medical term for such lung conditions is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. COPD is actually ...
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Allergic Rhinitis »
Rhinitis is defined as inflammation of the nasal membranes1 and is characterized by a symptom complex that consists of any combination of the following: sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal itching, and rhinorrhea.
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