This spring can welcome many unwanted symptoms for hay fever sufferers. But what exactly is hay fever? What causes it? And what are some tips and treatments that you can try to help ease any irritability?
What is hay fever and what causes it?
Hay fever is an allergy to pollen. It can be triggered by various allergens that are in the air around us such as; trees, grass, mould and plant pollen. It is often between May and July as this is when plants and trees create more pollen but if winters are more mild and spring times are warmer then this can also provoke symptoms to begin.
What are the symptoms?
Hay fever affects almost 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 10 children and the symptoms can vary from:
- Sneezing and coughing
- Itchy, red and watery eyes
- Headaches
- Lose of smell
- Fatigue
- Itchy throat, ears, mouth and nose
How to deal with hay fever?
Tips:
- Stay indoors whenever the pollen count is medium-high, you can check if pollen count is high on the Met Office.
- Avoid drying washing outdoors when the pollen count is high or the grass is being cut, also remove any outdoor clothing when you come home.
- Install pollen filters in your car
- Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
- Shower and wash your hair on days you have been out where there has been a high pollen count
Treatments:
Nasal sprays, eye drops & anti -histamines
Most hay fever symptoms can be controlled by these 3 medicines that are available over at the pharmacy or can be prescribed by a healthcare professional.
- A nasal spray is recommended to be started 3 weeks before hay fever season, as it is much more difficult to control once nasal related symptoms worsen.
- Eye drops can help with irritated, red, watery and itchy eyes.
- Anti-histamine tablets can be taken daily to help relieve symptoms.
Hay fever injection
For many people, the methods listed above may not help combat their hay fever symptoms and a hay fever injection may be the most effective treatment to relieve them from irritable symptoms.
The hay fever injection is a steroid that contains 40mg of triamcinolone acetonide. It is injected into the buttocks and delivers a low dose directly into the muscle that gradually releases into the bloodstream over a course of 3 weeks. It can last anywhere from 3 weeks to the entire hay fever season and is not recommended to have more than 2 injections per hay fever season.
Side effects
Steroid medication has a range of risks, but some short and long terms risks with the hay fever injection are:
- Swelling
- Difficulty breathing
- Itchy skin
- Pain in abdomen/ discomfort
- Elevated blood pressure
- Increased blood sugar levels.
Benefits
Although there are risks, the injection offers many advantages:
- They are more convenient than daily tablets as it is a singular injection that can last a whole season
- Even though it is a steroid, it has a lower potency than steroid tablets
- Its effectiveness draws many people to getting the injection, improving their quality of life.
If you are looking to purchase treatment, click here.