“As the pollen count rises, it’s important the public recognise these unusual symptoms.”
Patel expanded on the symptom of excessive sweating by saying “sweating more than usual can be an embarrassing symptom of hay fever”.
The expert stated: “Excessive sweating can be caused by stress, pain or when your immune system is vulnerable – all factors that can occur in hay fever.”
As for a loss of smell and taste (known as anosmia), this can be caused by inflammation in the nasal passages.
“This is the body’s way of limiting the amount of pollen that reaches the nose,” Patel explained.
“As taste and smell are linked, if you experience anosmia, you are also likely to notice some loss of taste too.”
Patel added: “There is also a link between headaches and hay fever. Sinus inflammation can cause a build-up of pressure which results in a sinus headache.
“This tends to feel as if there is intense pressure inside the head or behind the eyes.”
Additional symptoms of hay fever can include face pain and a flare-up of asthma.
Patel explained: “Many people don’t realise that hay fever can cause pain around the cheeks, eyes and forehead.
“When you have hay fever, the small air-filled cavities behind the cheekbones and forehead can become inflamed or blocked. This pressure can cause facial pain.”
Hay fever can also worsen asthma symptoms, such as wheezing and breathlessness.
“In fact, some people also find they only experience asthma symptoms during hay fever season,” said Patel.
Five unusual symptoms of hay fever
- Excessive sweating
- Loss of smell and taste
- Headaches and migraines
- Face pain
- Asthma.
Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk
