Hay fever is more than just a sniffly nose and watery eyes. It now affects one in five South Africans every year, and this is predicted to increase significantly due to global warming, with a knock-on explosion of new middle-age sufferers. “Because it’s not life-threatening, studies and tests have been rather limited,” explains pharmacist Shilpa Shah. But this doesn’t mean it should be trivialised. “One study found that its effects on your reflexes are the same as being over the blood-alcohol limit for driving,” says allergist Professor Adam Fox. We reveal how you can crack down on this debilitating condition.
What is it?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, typically when it comes into contact with your mouth, nose, eyes, throat. “There are proteins in tree and grass pollens that, when ingested, cause antibodies in you to burst and release histamines,” explains Shilpa. “Histamines cause all the typical symptoms.”
Making matters worse
This story is from the October 2019 edition of woman & home South Africa.
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This story is from the October 2019 edition of woman & home South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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