Cheap hacks to help hay fever sufferers as Met Office issue ‘not great news’ warning

A doctor has given some tips and tricks for sufferers

The warning relates to pollen levels, which are forecasted to be high or very high across large part of England and Wales this week.

Forecasters are predicting conditions will persist from Tuesday, 16 June through to Friday, 19 June.

In a post on X, the Met Office said: "Not great news for hay fever sufferers," adding that southern and eastern areas would see "high to very high pollen levels this week".

And with hay fever affecting one in four adults it'll impact a big portion of the population who are sensitive to pollen.

Symptoms of hay fever can include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, headaches from sinus pressure, itchy throat and eyes, and watery eyes to name a few.

Typically when you have an allergy the most common way to manage it is to avoid the trigger, however trying to steer clear of any type of pollen from February to September is nearly impossible.

According to Dr Unnati Desai, National GP Lead at Nuffield Health there are a number of ways to manage hay fever symptoms.

Dr. Desai says: "Over the counter medications are useful for managing mild symptoms, however, if they persist you will need to visit your GP as prescription strength antihistamines, steroid nasal spray and eye drops safe for contact users can be prescribed."

You can find our pick of some of the best hay fever remedies below, including those suggested by Dr. Desai.

Eucalyptus oil

Dr. Desai suggests one way to manage symptoms in the sinuses is trying steam inhalation using eucalyptus oil.

You can get a small bottle of eucalyptus oil for less than £5 on Amazon. Just simply add a few drops to some steaming water and breathe deeply for 5–10 minutes under a towel tent.

Other ways to use the oil include putting it in diffusers around your home, in the bath, or adding it to your skincare routine.

One customer said the eucalyptus oil is a 'life saver' writing: "We use in a humidifier so it helps with breathing when hay fever is really bad."

Other options suggested for steam inhalation include Olbas Oil or Vaporub. "I would recommend avoiding long term decongestion nasal sprays as regular use of these can trigger chronic sinusitis," Dr. Desai adds.

Eye drops

If you want to manage symptoms in the eye area then an anti-allergy eye drop is the top suggestion.

You can get this Opticrom Hayfever 2% eye drops solution for just £5.19, and get quick relief to your itchy, red, watery eyes within just two minutes.

One user says they 'highly recommend these' eye drops for any hay fever sufferers, adding: "These drops are superb bringing swift relief to the frustration of itchy, runny and damn sore eyes!".

"Over the counter drops cannot be used with contact lenses present so be mindful of this if you wear them," says Dr. Desai.

Antihistamine tablets

A popular choice among hay fever sufferers is antihistamine tablets. They're used to relieve the symptoms of hay fever and other allergies, treating symptoms such as itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, runny noses and more.

A box of 30 is available for £7.55 here, and just one tablet per day will help kick those annoying hayfever symptoms.

One customer said they're the 'best on the market and work straight away'.