Hay fever affects around 1 in 5 UK adults and significantly impacts work, sleep and quality of life during pollen season. Most people manage with over-the-counter remedies; many would benefit from a proper assessment of triggers and a more effective treatment plan. We see patients across all severity levels, offer specific IgE allergy blood testing in clinic, and refer to specialist allergy services where immunotherapy is appropriate.
Educational information — not a substitute for clinical assessment
This page describes hay fever and allergic rhinitis in general terms to help you decide whether assessment may be helpful. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you recognise yourself in what follows, please book a consultation.
Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is an allergic reaction in the nose and eyes to airborne particles — usually pollen, but also dust mite, animal dander, mould, or other inhaled allergens. The immune system mistakenly identifies the particle as a threat and releases histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, causing the symptoms.
Hay fever can be:
UK adults have hay fever. Around 1 in 3 say it significantly affects their daily life or work during the worst weeks of the season.
Classic hay fever symptoms:
Severe hay fever can have a major effect on:
Some people develop rhinitis from workplace exposures (flour, animal proteins, latex, wood dust, others). Worth discussing if symptoms cluster around work.
Timing (when in year, time of day, in specific environments), pattern of symptoms, family history, asthma history, eczema, previous treatments tried, impact on daily life. The history often reveals the trigger pattern.
Nasal examination (using a small light or scope), looking for typical allergic changes (pale, swollen lining; clear mucus; "allergic salute" crease across the nose in some children). Check for nasal polyps, deviated septum, or signs of infection that mimic or complicate allergic rhinitis.
Where the trigger isn’t obvious or treatment isn’t controlling symptoms, allergy testing helps identify the specific allergens. At MHW we use specific IgE blood tests — a single blood sample sent to a UK accredited laboratory measuring antibodies to individual allergens (grass pollens, tree pollens, dust mite, animal danders, moulds, foods, and more).
Blood-based testing has several advantages:
We don’t offer skin prick testing on site — if this is specifically needed (very rare), we refer to a specialist allergy centre. Allergy blood testing is particularly worth doing if symptoms aren’t well controlled or multiple potential triggers need clarifying. Results typically come back in 3–7 days and we discuss them with you at a follow-up.
A written stepped plan covering avoidance, immediate treatment, and longer-term options if needed.
NICE CKS recommends a stepped approach, starting with simpler options and adding more as needed. Most people achieve good control without specialist intervention.
Where the trigger is identified, reducing exposure helps. See the lifestyle section below.
A class of medications that block the histamine response. They reduce sneezing, itching, runny nose, and eye symptoms. Both over-the-counter and prescription options exist, in tablet, syrup, eye drop, and nasal spray forms. The specific choice depends on symptom pattern, age, and other factors discussed in consultation.
A class of nasal sprays that reduce inflammation in the nasal lining. More effective than antihistamines for nasal blockage. Best used regularly during pollen season (ideally started 1–2 weeks before known triggers). Several options available, varying in potency and licensing — we discuss the appropriate choice for you.
Nasal sprays combining different actions are available for more severe symptoms; require prescription.
For eye-predominant symptoms, specific eye drop treatments often provide rapid relief when oral medication alone isn’t enough.
Tablets or nasal sprays that reduce blockage. Nasal decongestant sprays should only be used short-term (a few days) to avoid rebound congestion. Oral options have other considerations discussed in consultation.
For severe or treatment-resistant rhinitis, additional options include oral steroids (short courses only), other oral medications, and immunotherapy. Specialist referral is sometimes appropriate.
UK law prevents naming specific prescription medications on this website — treatment options are discussed in clinic in the context of your individual symptoms, history, and preferences.
For severely affected patients, immunotherapy (also called desensitisation) is the only treatment that addresses the underlying allergy rather than just controlling symptoms. It involves gradually exposing the body to small, controlled amounts of the allergen so the immune system learns to tolerate it.
We don’t deliver immunotherapy at MHW. Immunotherapy is a multi-year specialist service that requires dedicated allergy clinics with capacity to manage potential serious reactions during initiation. If you’re a candidate, we discuss the options and refer to a specialist allergy centre (NHS or private) for delivery.
Immunotherapy is considered for patients with:
We can confirm the diagnosis with allergy blood testing, optimise your current medical treatment, and refer to an appropriate allergy specialist if immunotherapy is the right next step. We don’t initiate or maintain immunotherapy ourselves.
Allergic rhinitis often goes hand-in-hand with other conditions:
Consider booking if:
Ideally before pollen season — February or March — so we have time to plan, test if needed, and start regular treatment before symptoms peak. But any time is fine; we treat in season too.
Not always. If symptoms clearly match the timing of common allergens and respond to standard treatment, testing may not change management. Testing is most useful for unclear pictures, treatment failures, or if considering immunotherapy.
Initial consultation is 30–45 minutes. Skin prick testing adds about 30 minutes. Most patients leave with a clear plan within an hour.
Most UK PMI policies cover allergy testing when clinically indicated. Coverage for immunotherapy varies. We provide codes for your insurer.
Yes — we see children from age 5. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
This is a popular belief with limited evidence. Local honey rarely contains the wind-pollinated grass pollens that cause hay fever (those aren’t collected by bees). Reasonable to try; unlikely to help significantly.
Hay fever can change over time — some children outgrow it; some adults develop new sensitivities. Immunotherapy is the only treatment that may produce long-term tolerance.
Evidence is mixed to absent for these approaches. Some patients find acupuncture helpful for symptoms; we don’t recommend it as primary treatment but don’t discourage if you find it useful alongside standard treatment.
Care at MHW Clinic is delivered by a small clinical team, with Dr Haydar Bolat as Clinical Director. The specific clinicians involved in your care depend on the plan agreed with you at consultation.
UK-registered GP and Clinical Director at MHW. Assesses hay fever and allergic rhinitis including history, examination, allergy testing where indicated, and step-up treatment planning. Refers to allergy specialists for immunotherapy where appropriate.
View profileLanguages spoken across the team: English, Turkish, Bulgarian, Bengali, Hindi, Albanian, Azerbaijani, German, Romanian. We can also arrange professional telephone interpreters in most other languages at no extra cost. More on languages and interpreters →
This page was reviewed by Dr Haydar Bolat, Clinical Director at MHW Clinic. Content is based on NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) on allergic rhinitis, the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) guidelines, and current UK clinical practice and current UK clinical practice. It is updated when guidance changes. Educational information only — not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Best to plan before symptoms start. Book a consultation to discuss a treatment plan that will actually keep symptoms under control.