MOST of us are delighted to know that winter is behind us and the summer months are not too far away.

However those people who suffer from hay fever may not be greeting the summer with as much enthusiasm as the rest of us.

Hay fever, while not particularly serious, can be really miserable and can cause poor performance at work, impaired driving and social exclusion. While others can enjoy an al fresco lifestyle, hay fever sufferers have to dose themselves with medications or stay indoors when the pollen count is high.

Allergy medication firm NasalGuard says that preparing in advance is key to reducing the effects of a high pollen count.

But a recent survey conducted by the company showed that over a third of hay fever sufferers in the West Midlands fail to act in time and wait until two weeks after the onset of their symptoms before starting treatment.

More than half of them start a week after their symptoms begin and 60 per cent of those affected by hay fever use ineffective treatment.

It suggests a number of tips to help reduce the effects of hay fever. These are:

• Timing. Hay fever symptoms are likely to be more severe when the pollen count is high, usually on hot dry days. Start keeping an eye on the Met Office website’s pollen forecasting tool to ensure you’re prepared to block pollen before hay fever symptoms start.

• Avoid alcohol. Many alcoholic drinks contain histamine, which is the chemical that triggers allergic reactions, so alcohol can increase sensitivity to pollen.

• Stub it out. Smoking or inhaling other people’s smoke can irritate the airways and exacerbate symptoms, so cut out the cigarettes and don’t let others smoke around you or in your home.

• Stop the spread. Pollen can be brought into the home from outdoors on clothing and hair. Take a shower and change your clothes after being outdoors to avoid spreading pollen around the home, where it can get trapped in things like carpets and fabric, fuelling symptoms. It’s also best to keep windows closed and to clean them regularly with a damp cloth to avoid pollen building up indoors.