WITH hovering pollen counts hanging most elements of the UK, you may put down your sniffles and sneezing to hay fever.
Nevertheless it’s additionally probably these oh-so-common signs are brought on by a summer time chilly and even Covid.
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A pollen bomb has descended on England, Wales and Northern Eire, with “very excessive” pollen counts set to unfold into Scotland too over the approaching days, the Met Workplace has warned.
Hay fever hell is predicted to peak on Sunday and proceed into Monday, as all the UK is ready to see hovering ranges of pollen – aside from essentially the most northern elements of Scotland.
Although very excessive pollen counts will certainly trigger distress to hay fever victims, individuals with bronchial asthma had been warned to “keep inside” as they’re at larger threat of lethal bronchial asthma assaults.
However with Covid nonetheless swirling round and summer time colds in full swing, your runny nostril, tickly throat and sneezing may very well be brought on by any of the above choices.
Covid instances are actually decrease than they had been January, when well being chiefs warned of the brand new JN.1 variant – an offshoot of Pirola and Omicron – spreading throughout England to make up 60 per cent of instances.
However current UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) studies point out that instances are slowly ticking up – growing by eight per cent in week main as much as June 6.
Although signs of hay fever, Covid an infection and a spring chilly are undoubtedly comparable, there are some key variations in how every situation manifests.
This is easy methods to unravel what’s inflicting your sniffles.
Is it hay fever?
With pollen counts peaking throughout England over the subsequent few days, there’s a good probability your sneezing and stuffy nostril is brought on by hay fever.
Hay fever – also called seasonal allergic rhinitis – is an allergic response to pollen and different airborne allergens corresponding to fungal spores.
As your immune system overacts to antigens corresponding to pollen, releasing histamines, listed below are some typical signs you may expertise:
Sneezing
Coughing brought on by postnasal drip (mucus dripping down the throat from the again of the nostril)
A runny or blocked nostril
Itchy, crimson or watery eyes
Itchy throat, mouth, nostril and ears
Much less generally, you might also expertise:
Lack of scent
Ache across the sides of your head and your brow brought on by blocked sinuses
Headache
Earache
Tiredness
Each allergic reactions and colds may cause coughing and sneezing.
However allergic reactions are likely to trigger itchiness round your eyes and within the throat, whereas a chilly could trigger a sore throat however not itchiness.
You might also discover that your eyes are notably watery.
And whereas colds often final one to 2 weeks, hay fever can final for weeks or months, relying on the pollen rely.
The upper the pollen rely, the more serious the signs might be.
In case you have bronchial asthma, your bronchial asthma signs may additionally worsen when you could have hay fever.
How To Deal with Hay Fever
There’s at present no remedy for hay fever and you can not stop it.
However you are able to do issues to ease your signs when the pollen rely is excessive.
Put Vaseline round your nostrils to lure pollen
Put on wraparound sun shades to cease pollen from stepping into your eyes
Bathe and alter your garments after you could have been outdoors to clean pollen off
Keep indoors at any time when attainable
Hold home windows and doorways shut as a lot as attainable
Vacuum often and dirt with a moist fabric
Purchase a pollen filter for the air vents in your automobile and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
Attempt to keep at house and keep away from contact with different individuals when you have a excessive temperature or you don’t really feel properly sufficient to do your regular actions
Supply: NHS
Is it a spring chilly?
Although we often affiliate colds with winter, it is attainable to get them at any time of the 12 months, together with the spring.
The primary signs embody:
A blocked or runny nostril
Sneezing
A sore throat
A hoarse voice
A cough
Feeling drained and unwell
In accordance with the NHS, you might also endure from:
A excessive temperature
Aching muscle tissues
A lack of style and scent
A sense of stress in your ears and face
A chilly will often solely final for about one or two weeks – so in case your sneezing persists for longer than that, you in all probability have hay fever.
Seasonal allergic reactions do not often trigger fever, however you may get one with a chilly.
In the meantime, allergic reactions most frequently will not trigger a cough and sore throat like a chilly would.
How To Deal with A Chilly
You’ll be able to often deal with a chilly at house with out seeing a GP.
Do the next issues to assist get higher faster:
Get loads of relaxation
Drink plenty of fluid, corresponding to water, to keep away from dehydration
Eat wholesome meals
Gargle salt water to assuage a sore throat (not appropriate for youngsters)
Drink a scorching lemon and honey drink to assuage a sore throat
Breathe in steam to ease a blocked nostril – strive sitting within the rest room with a scorching bathe operating
In case you have a excessive temperature or don’t really feel properly sufficient to do your regular actions, attempt to keep at house and keep away from contact with different individuals till you are feeling higher.
You can even strive medicines like paracetamol and ibuprofen to ease and aches pains and decrease your temperature.
Supply: NHS
Is it Covid?
Well being chiefs have warned {that a} rise in Covid instances may very well be pushed by waning immunity constructed from vaccines and prior infections, as properly the emergence of latest strains dubbed the FLiRT variants.
The commonest Covid signs embody:
Runny nostril (31.1 per cent)
Cough (22.9 per cent)
Headache (20.1 per cent)
Weak spot or tiredness (19.6 per cent)
Muscle ache (15.8 per cent)
Sore throat (13.2 per cent)
Hassle sleeping (10.8 per cent)
Fear or anxiousness (10.5 per cent)
The commonest symptom of the JN.1 variant was a runny nostril, with 31 per cent of sufferers reporting the symptom, an ONS report mentioned.
However lack of style and scent – as soon as a hallmark signal of the bug – is barely reported by two to a few per cent of contaminated Brits, in line with the winter Covid report from the Workplace For Nationwide Statistics (ONS) within the UK.
Fever, one other typical symptom of older variants, was solely skilled by two per cent of individuals.
ONS scientists recommend that anxiousness may also be an indication that somebody has the bug, as 10 per cent of Brits with Covid reported anxiousness, extra worrying or hassle sleeping since early November.
In the meantime, 23 per cent of individuals reported experiencing a cough, and 20 per cent a headache.
Practically 20 per cent of individuals with the bug reported weak point and fatigue, 16 per cent reported experiencing muscle aches, and 13 per cent had a sore throat.
How To Deal with Covid
You might be able to take care of your self at house when you have Covid.
Most individuals with COVID-19 may have gentle signs and really feel higher inside a couple of weeks.
In case you have a excessive temperature, it may assist to:
Get plenty of relaxation
Drink loads of fluids (water is greatest) to keep away from dehydration – drink sufficient so your pee is gentle yellow and clear
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen should you really feel uncomfortable
In case you have a cough, it is best to keep away from mendacity in your again. Lie in your aspect or sit upright as an alternative.
To assist ease a cough, strive having a teaspoon of honey. However don’t give honey to infants underneath 12 months.
If this doesn’t assist, you could possibly contact a pharmacist for recommendation about cough remedies.
In the event you’re feeling breathless, it may assist to maintain your room cool.
Strive opening a window however don’t use a fan as it could unfold the virus.
Folks at highest threat of getting significantly ailing from COVID-19 could also be eligible for remedies.
Supply: NHS
How are you going to inform when you have Covid or hay fever?
Covid-related coughing is often persistent and dry, whereas a cough related to hay fever is extra “tickly”, as a consequence of mucus from the nostril trickling down the throat, in line with Senior Lecturer in Genetic Immunology at Nottingham Trent College, Samuel White.
In the event you expertise lack of scent and style, with pollen allergic reactions it will be brought on by a blocked nostril, Dr White wrote in The Dialog.
In case you have this symptom with out a blocked nostril, it may very well be extra more likely to be Covid.
Hay fever additionally will not trigger muscle aches, although Covid may.
And like colds, Covid more than likely will not final greater than every week or two.
In the event you suspect you could have the virus, or your hay fever signs really feel dramatically worse, it may be helpful to take a Covid check.
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