What could be causing my runny nose and irritated eyes in September? Is there still pollen around at this time of the year?

There could be several reasons why this happening. First, weeds pollinate right up until October so if this is something you are sensitive to, symptoms may persist until later in the year.

Also, when the immune system detects pollen, it releases histamine in an attempt to wash this allergen out. However, as I'm sure you're aware, this chemical causes a whole host of problems including inflammation, congestion and itching. These symptoms indicate that your body is in a state of high alert and so it takes time for the problems to ease once pollen counts have settled – it does not happen immediately. This explains why you may experience hayfever symptoms during periods when the counts are low.

Another factor to consider is pollution as this can make symptoms more severe, or may cause them to arise when pollen counts are low. You are most likely to feel the effects of pollution if you live in a town or city.

Finally, it may be the case that you are allergic to other allergens, such as mould, animal dander or dust. Also, other things that can cause a sensitivity include the harsh chemicals in cleaning products, air fresheners, deodorants etc.

You can read more on this topic here: Low pollen count but still experiencing symptoms. 

In order to ease allergy symptoms, I'd recommend you try our Pollinosan Hayfever tablets as these are non-drowsy and can be used alongside antihistamines, should you already be on one of them. These tablets address things like itchy eyes, sneezing, a tickly nose or throat and congestion.