Blog article
The link between asthma and hay fever is nothing to sneeze at

Depending on the allergen, hay fever symptoms (enter sneezing and watery eyes) can be experienced year-round. It's usually spring and summer when things can get sticky though, thanks to heightened hay fever triggers such as grass, weeds, and tree pollens.
During these times of year many managing asthma may also experience hay fever and may have to look at treating both. Let's have a look at hay fever and asthma, how they interact and where to get help to manage symptoms.
In this article
- Asthma and hay fever
- Tailoring your treatment
- Thunderstorm asthma
- Asthma management during hay fever season
- Support station
Asthma and hay fever
Asthma and hay fever are closely linked and most people with asthma experience hay fever too.2 Most of us already know whether spring is a time to stop and smell the roses, or stock up on the hankies. But how can this affect asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition - affecting the airways in the lungs that become inflamed and narrowed when exposed to triggers. This means there's less space in the airways, and breathing is restricted. Asthma symptoms include:1
- Wheezing
- Breathlessness
- Chest tightness
While asthma affects the lungs, hay fever affects the nasal passage.3
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to particles (such as pollen, grasses, dust mites, mould or animal fur) breathed through the nose. In Australia, some people have hay fever symptoms show up when there are large amounts of grass pollen in the air. This usually happens in the springtime or summer (flowers and plants use pollen to… well… pollinate).3
Hay fever symptoms include:3
- Itchy nose and eyes
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- A blocked nose
Because better management of hay fever has been shown to improve asthma control in both adults and children3, it's important to treat the allergies in your nose as well as the asthma in your lungs.2
What is hay fever, and why do we experience this in spring?
Tailoring your treatment
Doctors may recommend to keep on top of your hay fever symptoms with treatments like, antihistamines, corticosteroid sprays, and saline sprays.3
Looking into allergy testing might be recommended for you if your symptoms are persistent and can lead to a more targeted treatment plan.3
Allergen immunotherapy may be suggested for hay fever too, especially if your allergy testing shows pollen or dust mite allergy. Asthma Australia have made a helpful video to help you better understand this treatment.