If you've found you've got a pesky and persistent cough, but only in the summer months, it might not be hay fever as you previously thought, but undiagnosed asthma.
Asthma experts told Pretty 52 that our asthma is triggered by different things throughout the year and it might be that the trigger that makes your asthma more noticeable is pollen, which causes hay fever, and which only occurs during the summer season.
This means that you'll still have asthma throughout the year, but that as pollen doesn't occur in winter months, your symptoms are only particularly prominent in the summer. When grass pollen levels are particularly high, sufferers are more at risk of asthma attacks.
"Some people with asthma may find that their symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing and struggling to breathe, get worse at specific times of the year such as in winter or in the summer. This is because some asthma triggers such as colds and flu or pollen are more common in certain months," Dr Andy Whittamore, Clinical Lead at Asthma UK and a practicing GP, told us.
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"It is essential people with asthma understand their personal triggers and how they may flare up at certain times of year, so they can cut their risk of having a life-threatening asthma attack.
"At the moment, hay fever is triggering hay fever symptoms for many people with asthma so we advise people to keep their blue reliever inhaler with them at all times. We'd also advise people to take their hay fever medicines and preventer inhaler (usually brown) as prescribed and get advice from www.asthma.org.uk/pollen."
Peak levels of pollen and the extremely hot weather could cause suffering for millions with asthma, the charity warned.
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"Peaking levels of grass pollen and hot weather this week could cause suffering for around 3.3 million people whose asthma could be affected by hay fever," says Caroline Fredericks, Specialist Nurse at Asthma UK.
"If you have asthma, then an allergy to pollen can inflame your airways and trigger asthma symptoms such as coughing, a tight chest and breathlessness, which could lead to a potentially life-threatening asthma attack. Hot weather this week will make the pollen levels spike and cause extra misery for people with asthma.
"If you have asthma that is triggered by hay fever make sure you keep your blue reliever inhaler with you at all times."
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Asthma sufferers are advised to manage their asthma all year round rather than waiting for your symptoms to get worse, as not using medication regularly could lead to a higher risk of having an attack.
If you think your hay fever symptoms might actually be caused by asthma, visit your GP for advice, or visit www.asthma.org.uk/pollen for more information.
Featured Image Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA ImagesTopics: Life News
