"Seasonal allergic rhinitis" describes nasal allergies that change with the seasons due to pollen from plants. In 1997, nearly 35.9 million Americans were affected by this type of allergy. For these people, symptoms come and go with the pollination seasons of certain trees, grasses, or weeds. Pollen levels from these plants can vary day to day, depending upon several factors, including the weather. High pollen levels can, in turn, affect the severity of symptoms.
"Hay fever," a popular term for seasonal allergies, was coined in 1828 by a British physician, Dr. John Bostock, who noticed that his symptoms worsened during the British haying season. (The expression is misleading because allergies seldom cause a fever and are rarely related to hay.)
