Why Seasonal Allergies Are Called ‘Hay Fever’ - Videos from The Weather Channel
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Why Seasonal Allergies Are Called ‘Hay Fever’

April 13, 2025

A doctor back in the 1800s coined the term ‘hay fever’ for a syndrome with symptoms that included a runny nose and itchy eyes, especially outside. It happened each year during hay season. Doctors now know that allergic rhinitis typically isn’t caused by hay, and it doesn’t usually involve a fever, but the term stuck as a generic description of seasonal allergies to things like tree pollen.