The full misery of surviving summer in Britain with hay fever has been revealed – leaving exhausted sufferers stuck indoors with the doors and windows shut.
The condition means a third (33%) of hay fever sufferers in the West Midlands are forced inside during summer, with 44% avoiding outdoor sports and nearly half (48%) saying it ruins summer for them completely.
With an estimated 18m hay fever sufferers in the UK, over six in ten (62%) of those surveyed in the West Midlands endure sleepless nights.
Double World Champion hurdler Colin Jackson, who had to drop a promising cricket career because of hay fever said: “Hay fever is awful.
“You don’t want to be outdoors - at the best time of year to be outdoors - sleep is a pain because you can’t open the windows at night and your eyes are so itchy you want to dig them out, wash them and put them back in.”
The survey, carried out by Atomik Research for ASDA Pharmacy, revealed that, for hay fever sufferers in the West Midlands:
· Eighty-six per cent say they never research pollen levels when going away
· Seven in ten (70%) said others do not understand their condition – against a national average of 54%
· A third (33%) of hay fever sufferers are forced to spend the whole summer with the windows and doors shut to keep pollen out
Over half (54%) of hay fever sufferers say they have more than three nights of disturbed sleep each week.
More than a third (35%) find runny noses, itchy eyes and a persistent cough mean they struggle to concentrate at work with 17% forced to take time off work because of hay fever.
Over a quarter (27%) say their condition makes it difficult to enjoy the summer sun with their children.
Colin Jackson CBE, who took gold in the 110m hurdles at the 1993 and ’94 World Championships, said: “I used to play cricket for my county as a teenager. When the cricket season began I was excited – but my eyes weren’t.
“Being in a field from May onwards when you suffer from hay fever is bound to be a problem – but I was opening the bowling and batting at number five – and there was not enough time to get my itchy, streaming eyes under control.
“So, I decided to focus on athletics, which is generally a bit later in the season and doesn’t make me suffer as much.
“I suffer hay fever caused by both grass and tree pollen – so it’s a double whammy. I’m never sure whether my eyes or nose suffer worse – your eyes are itchy but your running nose gets so sore.
“I am constantly having to shut the windows in summer when it’s windy so the pollen doesn’t blow inside and I end up listening to the pollen forecasts more than the weather.
“It’s like having a cold – but a continuous cold that lasts for five months.”
ASDA Pharmacist Maq Din added: “There is currently no cure for hay fever and you can’t prevent it but you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high.
“Staying cooped up inside is not a realistic way of living your life and avoiding hay fever symptoms but there are a few steps you can take to keep yourself protected if you’re venturing outdoors.
“These can include eye drops and nasal sprays, something as simple as wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes and showering or changing your clothes after you’ve been outside to wash off the pollen.”
