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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of hay fever usually develop immediately after you're exposed to specific allergy-causing substances (allergens) and can include:
- Runny nose and nasal congestion
- Watery or itchy eyes
- Sneezing
- Cough
- Itchy nose, roof of mouth or throat
- Sinus pressure and facial pain
- Swollen, blue-colored skin under the eyes (allergic shiners)
- Decreased sense of smell or taste
Hay fever symptoms that can interfere with your day-to-day activities and have an impact on your quality of life include:
- Sleeplessness
- Fatigue
- Irritability
Your symptoms may start or worsen at a particular time of year, triggered by tree pollen, grasses or weeds. If you're sensitive to indoor allergens such as dust mites, cockroaches, mold or pet dander, you may have year-round symptoms.
Although hay fever can begin at any age, you're most likely to develop it during childhood or early adulthood. It's common for the severity of hay fever reactions to change over the years. For most people, symptoms tend to diminish slowly, often over decades.
Is it hay fever? Or is it a cold?
Signs and symptoms can be different. Here's how to tell which one's causing your symptoms:
| Hay fever | Colds | |
|---|---|---|
| Signs and symptoms | Runny nose with thin, watery discharge; no fever | Runny nose with watery or thick yellow discharge; low-grade fever |
| Onset | Immediately after exposure to allergens | One to three days after exposure to cold virus |
| Duration | As long as you're exposed to allergens | Five to seven days |
