GPs have confirmed that seasonal allergic rhinitis has reached record levels this month.
According to general practice reports, the number of presentations for the condition nearly quadrupled in the second week of the month.
Meteorologists have warned of record levels of pollen this month.
In England more than 45,000 people are thought to have visited a GP in the week ending 10 June, according to the Research and Surveillance Centre of the Royal College of GPs. This represented 76.7 presentations for every 100,000 people.
RCGP chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Hay fever rates are exceptionally high right now – certainly the worst we’ve seen in recent years with the latest data from our Research and Surveillance Centre showing that it is significantly above the five-year average for cases in general practice.
"For the estimated one in five people who suffer from hay fever, the symptoms, which include sneezing, coughing, and streaming eyes and nose, can be really distressing but the discomfort of symptoms should only be temporary and cause no long-term ill effects.
"Patients suffering from hay fever can take some simple practical steps to reduce their exposure to pollen, for example by wearing a hat with a wide brim, putting a small amount of Vaseline on their nostrils to trap pollen particles, and keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible.”
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