With brighter longer days, summer is finally here and for most people the warm, sunny weather is a welcome change to the season. However, for 20% of the UK population who suffer from Hayfever, the irritating symptoms of the allergy will make for a miserable time of year. Hayfever and other summer allergies such as Prickly Heat often leave sufferers reaching for tissues.

Hayfever usually occurs during the spring and summer months. Exactly when you get it depends on which pollens you are allergic to. Jo Rochford

Hayfever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, is a very common condition that affects 20% of people in the UK. It is caused by an allergy to airborne substances such as grass or hay pollens, which affects the upper respiratory passages (nose, sinus, throat and eyes).

Hayfever usually occurs during the spring and summer months. Exactly when you get it depends on which pollens you are allergic to. From May to July grass and flowers are in pollen, making these the most common cause of hay fever. During spring, from March to May, pollens from trees are the most common cause of hay fever. Some people do get hay fever into the autumn months. However this is rare and is usually caused by weeds such as nettles and docks, late flowering plants, and mould spores.

Hayfever symptoms can be similar to a cold, and include a runny nose, watery eyes and repeated sneezing attacks. As with all allergies, the symptoms happen as a result of your immune system (the body's defence system) overreacting to a normally harmless substance in this case, pollen. When the body comes into contact with pollen, cells in the lining of your nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine that triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

You are more likely to get hay fever if there is a history of allergies in your family, particularly asthma or eczema. Hay fever usually begins in the early teens and peaks when you're in your twenties. Research shows that many people become less sensitive to pollen as they get older, and by the time they reach their mid-forties, hay fever may no longer be a problem.

Acupuncture has been used in China and other eastern cultures to restore vitality and alleviate the symptoms of allergic reactions for over 2,500 years. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy which run underneath our skin, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help restore its natural balance.

Daniel Maxwell, acupuncturist and BAcC member explains how it can help: “Acupuncture is great for the symptoms of hay fever and all kinds of allergic conditions due to the significant effect it has on modulating the immune system. In the case of hay fever, it is often aggravated by a pathogen (referred to as 'Wind' in Chinese Medicine) which causes problems in the respiratory system, and acupuncture uses needles to restore the normal functioning of this system. Hay fever and other allergies like prickly heat and chlorine allergy therefore respond very well to this treatment”.

Acupuncture is similar to Western forms of Hayfever Treatment in that it is best if you start before the season has begun. This does not mean that you cannot start after, just that the results are not so profound.

You will generally start with a course of 6 weekly treatments and then space these out to bi weekly, four weekly and longer dependent on how you react to treatment. This would be a typical treatment plan in year one when you have started before the season. If you have started after the season, it will depend on how well you respond to treatment as to how you choose to space out your treatments.

In year two you may well find that as little as a couple of treatments before the season means that you do not need to take any hayfever medication to see you through the whole season, although you might want to top up just before the particular part of the season that you are normally sensitive to if you feel that you need it.

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