Hayfever is an allergic disease of the membranes of the nose, throat and eyes. It is caused by increased sensitivity to airborne pollens and is therefore usually seasonal. It occurs most commonly between May and September, when the weather is hot and humid. Individuals may suffer from specific types of pollens, not necessarily from hay. The conditions of sufferers get worse when the pollen count in the air is high, and are likely to become clinically distressing whenever the count rises above 30.

Main symptoms of hayfever include:

• Sneezing
• Itchy watering eyes
• Runny, or stuffed-up nose
• Sore throat and/or dry coughing
• Headache

Hayfever can be a very irritating disease and can badly affect daily life and work. If untreated, one in three patients may develop asthma.

Hayfever is caused by the attack of external elements known as wind and heat, in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In a healthy person, the internal defensive energy, known as Qi, is strong enough to balance these external energies and keep the respiratory tract functioning properly.

Susceptible people with weaker defensive Qi, however, cannot withstand the external pathogenic wind and/or heat. As the wind overwhelms, it causes an imbalance in the body and leads to sneezing, nasal congestion and discharge. The wind can also be joined by heat and result in other symptoms like burning sensations.

In China, hayfever has been successfully managed for thousands of years by traditional Chinese medicine. Herbal medicine is tailored according to individual conditions to expel the external attacking elements. When symptoms have been relieved, a defensive tonic is then prepared to rebuild the body's weak defence system and to reduce the chance of recurrence.

Acupuncture treatment has also been proved to be effective, particularly for the relieving of headache.