What might be making us feel ill this time of year?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe spring season is notoriously unpredictable, and Fahmy highlights how the fluctuations between sunny spells and downpours can have an impact on our immune system.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had some nice, bright days, but then all of a sudden there has also been some cold and damp days, and this does have an impact on our vitamin D levels, our immune system and our general feeling of wellbeing,\u201d says Fahmy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that people feel better in themselves when the weather is better, and we have had a long, cold, damp winter this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pollen count also rises significantly this time of year, so lots of people tend to struggle with hay fever symptoms in spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome people will have hay fever from the spring blossom, so will start experiencing symptoms now, although the exact timing and severity vary from person to person,\u201d says Fahmy. \u201cPeople tend to present with watery eyes, sneezing and a runny, itchy nose. They can also experience a lot of congestion and feel quite foggy in the head with it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the start of 2026 saw a significant circulation of various viruses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been a really nasty year so far for several kinds of viruses,\u201d says Fahmy. \u201cFor example, flu cases were particularly elevated at the start of the year and have now started to return to normal levels, but norovirus levels are still quite high at the moment, which isn\u2019t helping us feel well.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition, stress can have a negative impact on our health.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t underestimate the impact of all the things that are going on in the world right now, which is likely to increase people\u2019s stress levels and therefore have an impact on their immune system and general feeling of wellbeing,\u201d says Fahmy. \u201cSo, there\u2019s lots of different things that are playing a part in making people feel under the weather this spring.\u201d<\/p>\n
How can we distinguish between a cold and hay fever?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile colds and hay fever share many symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose, a fever is a key indicator that helps distinguish between the two.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no fever or temperature change with hay fever, so if you are experiencing fevers that a clear sign that is a viral infection, like a cold, rather than hay fever,\u201d explains Fahmy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, I wouldn\u2019t expect watery, itchy eyes to be a sign of a cold, as this is more likely to be hay fever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking at previous patterns can also be helpful.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you somebody that has a tendency towards allergies? Are you asthmatic? Do you have eczema? Because if you are in that category, then you are classed as having atopy, which is essentially those sensitivities, which means hay fever is probably going to be more likely,\u201d says the GP.<\/p>\n
What symptoms can we manage at home?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf you are feeling fluey and achy and have got a bit of a temperature, make sure that you\u2019ve always got some form of paracetamol in the house,\u201d advises Fahmy. \u201cSimilarly, for norovirus, I think it\u2019s always sensible to have some Dioralyte rehydration sachets in the cupboard at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith many norovirus and flu-like symptoms, it is usually a case of symptom control and prioritising rest and fluids rather than actual treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furthermore, The GP says if you know you suffer from seasonal hay fever, being proactive is key.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure that you start your antihistamines a good four weeks before hay fever season starts to stop you from getting those hay fever symptoms when pollen levels are already at its peak,\u201d recommends Fahmy.<\/p>\n
What symptoms should people seek professional help about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf your symptoms are new or different or ongoing, or if your fever symptoms aren\u2019t settling, or if anything feels like it\u2019s getting worse with time, rather than better with time, you need to get help,\u201d advises Fahmy. \u201cThis would especially be the case for anybody at the two extremes of age, i.e. young infants or older adults.\u201d<\/p>\n
Is there anything we can do to boost our immunity this spring?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cMake sure that you are taking vitamin D supplements and are getting outdoors,\u201d advises Fahmy. \u201cGetting some fresh air and doing some exercise are both simple things, but actually make the world of difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cExercise, in particular, will help boosts your immunity, your cardiovascular health and that general feeling of wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Have you noticed that everyone seems to be coughing, sneezing or sniffling at the moment? Although the evenings are now longer and lighter, many of us are still cooped up at home, desperately reaching for the next tissue. We spoke to Dr Alia Fahmy, medical director and GP at Concierge Medical, to find out whether this is just a coincidence, or if there is something in the air that is causing so many of us to feel run down\u2026 What might be making us feel ill this time of year? The spring season is notoriously unpredictable, and Fahmy highlights how the fluctuations between sunny spells and downpours can have an impact on our immune system. \u201cWe\u2019ve had some nice, bright days, but then all of a sudden there has also been some cold and damp days, and this does have an impact on our vitamin D levels, our immune system and our general feeling of wellbeing,\u201d says Fahmy. \u201cWe know that people feel better in themselves when the weather is better, and we have had a long, cold, damp winter this year.\u201d The pollen count also rises si…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14190"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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