What's That Rash? – "Checking the pollen count? Here are some hay fever tips"

ABC News | September 9, 2025
Hosts: Tegan Taylor (A), Dr. Norman Swan (B)
Listeners' Questions: Kathy (Southwest WA), Tim

Episode Overview

This episode takes a deep dive into hay fever—its history, why some people suffer more than others, and what you can do to alleviate symptoms. Co-hosts Tegan Taylor and Dr. Norman Swan tackle myths about the supposed benefits of local honey and share practical tips for managing the allergy season, particularly as spring and pollen count ramp up in Australia.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Stories: Getting Caught by Hay Fever

• Tegan recounts a holiday in the UK, blissfully lying in wildflowers only to be “in a world of pain” later from a hay fever attack.
  • “Turns out that no matter where you are in the world, nature still wants to kill you.” — Tegan [01:53]
• Norman sympathizes, recalling debilitating hay fever in Scotland as a child but little to no symptoms since moving to Australia.
  • “If I go back to Britain, even now, it’s nightmare.” — Norman [02:32]
• Discussion leads to the concept that your hay fever tendencies may be set by your childhood environment.
  • “There’s some evidence…where you grow up determines your hay fever. And if you escape that, then you escape your hay fever.” — Norman [02:38]

2. History of Hay Fever

• Hay fever has had many names: pollinosis, rose fever, summer or autumnal catarrh.
  • “One fella called it Cataris east of us, meaning summer Qatar.” — Tegan [03:34]
• 1819: Dr. John Bostock (likely the first to formally describe it—and was also the patient in his case report).
  • Bostock tried various historical remedies—“bleeding and purging…blisters…bark…opium and mercury…nothing worked.” — Tegan [04:47]
  • The only effective remedy for him: “confining himself to the house.” — Tegan [05:17]
• Early scientists collected pollen with sticky patches on kites—a fun historical footnote.
  • “One fella put sticky patches on kites…he was a correspondent of Charles Darwin’s…” — Tegan [05:41]

3. What is Hay Fever?

• It’s allergic rhinitis, either seasonal (mostly grass pollens) or perennial (indoor allergens like dust mites).
  • “Hay fever is allergic rhinitis, which can either be seasonal or it can be perennial…” — Norman [06:27]
• Perennial triggers are more like those for asthma and include year-round allergens like dust mite, pet dander, and cockroach droppings.

4. Why Are Some People Sufferers?

• Some combination of genetics and environment. Allergic diseases (eczema, hay fever, asthma) often run together and may be inherited.
  • “There’s almost certainly a genetic propensity…It does tend to run in families, but sometimes that’s environmental as much as genetic.” — Norman [07:23]
• Risk factors include maternal smoking during pregnancy, early-life exposure to allergens, and a lack of “training” for the immune system.

5. The Immune System & Allergies Explained

• Pollen exposure leads to an antibody (IgE) response, which triggers mast cells to release histamine—causing classic hay fever symptoms.
  • “When the mast cells…burst open with the histamine, then you’re triggering a response…even a neurological response in the trigeminal nerve.” — Norman [09:13]
• Hay fever is not just an immune reaction, but also vascular and neurological.

6. The Hygiene Hypothesis & Pets

• Paradoxically, early exposure to more allergens and pets in childhood reduces allergy risk.
  • “If you are exposed to pets, and the more pets the better, the less likely you are to develop atopic disease.” — Norman [10:09]
  • Living on a farm (or bringing that diversity of exposure to city homes) is protective.
• Reason: the immune system learns what to ignore (allergens) and what to fight (parasites).

7. Management & Treatment Strategies

A. Prevention:

• Avoid exposure if possible—though often unrealistic.

B. Medications:

• Non-sedating antihistamines are first-line—help block histamine.
  • “If you can nip that in the bud with an antihistamine, then you can control it.” — Norman [13:13]
• Nasal steroid sprays for persistent symptoms.
• Specialist options (in more severe cases):
  • New immune-modulating drugs
  • Immunotherapy (gradual exposure to allergens—“training” the immune system)
  • Mast cell stabilizers (e.g., cromoglycate)

C. Real-World Tip:

• Treating hay fever can help asthma control too: “Your treatment of your asthma becomes much easier if you treat the rhinitis.” — Norman [13:01]

Myth-Busting: Does Local Raw Honey Help?

Listener Question from Kathy

• Theory: Consuming local pollen in honey could work as a natural form of immunotherapy.
• Evidence: “Very little research to suggest that it’s effective.” — Norman [14:22]
  • One cited (but not robust) study: Both placebo and honey groups benefited from antihistamines; slightly better results in the honey group, but the trial design was weak.
  • No serious side effects like anaphylaxis noted, but findings are inconclusive.
  • “The science behind the study, a little sticky perhaps…” — Tegan [15:17]
  • “The only caveat around honey is for babies under one…because there is a health risk for young kids.” — Tegan [15:22]

Practical Tips and Takeaways

• Antihistamines: Available over-the-counter, consult your pharmacist.
• Nasal corticosteroids: Try if antihistamines aren’t enough, under doctor advice.
• Mast cell stabilizers (like cromoglycate): Worth a try, especially for children.
• Be careful with nasal decongestant sprays: Overuse can worsen symptoms.
• Immunotherapy: For persistent or severe cases, consult a doctor/allergist.
• Local honey: Probably harmless (except for infants under one), but don’t expect miracles.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Turns out that no matter where you are in the world, nature still wants to kill you.” — Tegan [01:53]
• “If I go back to Britain, even now, it’s nightmare.” — Norman [02:32]
• “There’s some evidence, some evidence, that where you grow up determines your hay fever.” — Norman [02:38]
• “It’s not just an immune disease…it’s actually a neurological disease as well.” — Norman [09:31]
• “If you are exposed to pets, and the more pets the better, the less likely you are to develop atopic disease.” — Norman [10:09]
• “A little bit of honey on your morning porridge.” — Tegan [16:16]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:53] — Personal hay fever stories and intro to pollen/allergy topic
• [03:27] — History and naming of hay fever
• [06:19] — Allergic rhinitis and its types explained
• [07:15] — Why some people develop allergies—genetic and environmental factors
• [09:06] — The immune system’s allergic response and symptoms
• [10:07] — Why early pet exposure protects against allergies
• [12:04] — Comparing hay fever symptoms in different locations
• [13:12] — Treatments and medication advice
• [14:12] — Does local honey help? Examining research
• [15:32] — Treatment summary and final practical advice

Episode in a Nutshell

Whether you’re suffering from the spring sniffles or googling ways to use local honey, this episode delivers a pragmatic, science-backed guide to hay fever. Most effective are mainstream treatments (antihistamines, nasal steroids, sometimes immunotherapy), while home remedies like local honey aren’t likely to do much harm—but also aren’t likely to cure your allergies. Early exposure to diverse allergens (including pets) in childhood may set you up for less misery later in life. As always, check with your GP or pharmacist before trying new medications, and remember: “Choose your poison, pollen or snakes.” — a fitting Australian sign-off.