Hayfever is a widespread name of pollen allergy, the main symptom of which is allergic rhinitis. The term ‘hayfever’, appeared in 1829 and today it is no longer relevant, because the disease has nothing to do with hay or fever conditions. Hayfever is primarily accompanied by rhinitis – inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity. In cases where the inflammatory response is caused by allergies, rhinitis is assigned an allergic type, while allergenic substances are considered to be allergens.
If allergic rhinitis is provoked by pollen, then such form of disease is inevitably characterised by seasonality. The cause for rhinitis occurring throughout the year is nothing but house dust in nine cases out of ten.