Allergic rhinitis is a facet of hay fever (diagnosis and treatment)

Abstract

Hay fever, a classic allergic disease, is in fact an immediate allergic response. It is characterized by acute allergic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, eyes and skin. Less often it involves the digestive, cardiovascular, genitourinary and nervous systems. There is a distinctive relationship of annual exacerbation with flowering season of allergenic plants and exposure to pollen. The most common manifestation of hay fever is allergic rhinitis (95--98%) [1].