Causes of Hay Fever

Hay fever or what is more commonly known as seasonal allergic rhinitis is the irritation and inflammation of the sensitive lining in the nasal passage. This is bought about my breathing foreign substances – in this case it pollen – that come in as one breathes air. Does this mean simply breathing can bring me hay fever? Not exactly. What really causes hay fever?

The inflammation of the nasal passage is called by the allergic reaction of the nose to pollen. Once grass pollen gets in contact with the inner linings of your nose and nasal passage, it can cause inflammation, irritation, sneezing, swelling, and other symptoms. Grass pollen particles can fly along and be carried freely by the wind. When it enters the body, the immune system alerts the body and tends to overreact, thinking that the pollen can be any form of harmful substance. When this happens, the body produces an ample amount of antibodies to fight the presumed to be harmful foreign substance and fight it off.

Immunoglobulin E, the antibody produced by the body to fight pollen off, triggers the production and release of other chemicals in the body (particularly natural body chemical histamine) to get rid of pollen, flush it out of the body, and bring it back where it came from. While all of these are going on, you, as a result, will feel and endure the symptoms that are very much associated with hay fever.

It has been mentioned that Hay fever is caused by the allergic reaction to what the body inhales and presumes to be a harmful substance, since it causes allergy. Pollen is just one of them, and is the most common. However, other allergens similar to pollen can also cause hay fever. Mold, dust, animal hair and other small substances that can be carried by the wind can be allergens and cause irritation to the nasal passages when inhaled.

Pollen comes from plants. The example of plants that are know to be the common cause of hay fever includes trees (birch, cedar, hazel, alder) and grass (ryegrass, timothy, etc.). Studies show that birch tree is the leading causes of the hay fever, with roughly 16-20% of people who suffer from hay fever are found to be allergic and very sensitive to birch tree pollen.

The pollen from these trees and grasses produce pollen in all year round – fall, summer, winter, and during winter when the climate and snowfall is not that harsh. Small, pollen grains from plants that pollinate through the wind can cause hay fever from season to season, region to region. Those plants that rely on insects for pollination (some flowers) can not cause hay fever because their pollen is too big, too heavy to be carried by the wind.

Allergens are all over around us. One can be allergic to a lot of things, not just pollen. Exposure to environments full of allergens can lead to a tendency for one to develop a lot of allergies. Heredity is also known as a contributing factor.

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