What is hay fever? Hay fever is an allergy to pollen. Of all things that can cause an allergy, pollen is the most widespread.
Each spring, summer and autumn, a fine, powdery substance known as pollen is released from trees, flowers and other plants. It is dispersed by air currents. It plays a vital role in the reproduction of plants. However, when pollen enters human noses and throats, it can trigger a seasonal allergic reaction known as pollen allergy or hay fever.
Symptoms include sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy nose and throat, sore eyes, and a feeling of tightness in the chest, or asthma. People suffering from hay fever may be unable to work, drive or study.
Outdated treatments which can get rid of the symptoms, and are still widely used, cause drowsiness. But modern treatments solve the problem for most sufferers.
Hay fever affects 15 to 20 per cent of the population in Britain, and is also common in the United States and Japan. In Hong Kong, it is not so common because not all plants bloom at the same time so the chances of an allergic reaction are reduced.
Why do Eskimos in Alaska rub noses? Eskimos are known as 'Inuit' in Alaska and Canada, and 'Kalaadlits' in Greenland.
Alaskan Inuit are the most numerous and most diverse. They occupy the entire coast of Alaska except the Aleutian Islands and southeast Alaska and live in a variety of environments ranging from arctic tundra to mountainous, forested coastal areas.