With the arrival of spring, Dr Timothy Watts, Consultant Physician in Adult Allergy, shares how hay fever sufferers can best protect themselves against pollen.

Allergic rhinitis, commonly caused by hay fever, is a condition causing inflammation of the lining of the nose and sinuses, which occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It’s a potentially debilitating condition that is probably more common than you think, with more than 1 in 10 people suffering with allergies. The most common allergies are to pollens, house dust mites, animal hair and moulds.