One in five people in Ireland suffers with hay fever and the condition can have a major impact on a person's everyday life, pharmacists have warned.

Hay fever is a seasonal condition. It refers to an allergy to pollen and spores. Pollen is the tiny, dust-like particles given off by certain types of trees, grasses, weeds and flowers. Spores come from fungi and moulds.

In Ireland, grass pollen is the most common cause of hey fever.

Symptoms include a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing and headaches.

"Hay fever can make life miserable for patients, especially those with severe symptoms. Treatments for hay fever include antihistamines, corticosteroids and decongestants, or for more severe cases, prescription medications such as steroids," noted Bernard Duggan of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU).

The IPU warned that many people may be currently affected by hay fever as a result of the recent good weather. It called on anyone affected to talk to their local pharmacist about the best treatment options available to them, as not all medicines work in the same way ‘or are suitable for all patients'.

Pharmacists are also reminding people that hay fever can be a big trigger for asthma. Some 470,000 people in Ireland have asthma and they are advising anyone with the condition to ensure that they have their inhaler with them at all times and to use it as prescribed.

For more information on asthma and hay fever, see our Asthma Clinic here