Hay Fever: Treatment options and coping strategies
As spring approaches, for some the anticipation of warmer weather and blooming flowers is often overshadowed by the looming prospect of hay fever. With the changing of seasons, pollen fills the air, triggering allergic reactions in many individuals.
Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, causes cold-like symptoms. As trees, grasses, and flowers burst into bloom, pollen counts rise, exacerbating symptoms like sneezing, sinus pressure, itching, congestion, and watery eyes. But unlike a cold, hay fever will last for weeks or months as opposed to a week or two, and it isn't caused by a virus. Hay fever is caused by an allergic response to a harmless outdoor or indoor substance the body identifies as harmful (allergen).
For those susceptible to hay fever, the onset of spring can be a challenging time. Besides making you miserable, hay fever can affect how well you perform at work or school, it can generally interfere with daily activities and diminish your overall quality of life. Simple tasks like enjoying outdoor activities or even opening windows become fraught with discomfort, and as pollen particles infiltrate homes and workplaces, finding refuge can seem impossible. Common allergens that can trigger hay fever symptoms include pollen, dust mites and small flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, and other animals with fur or feathers (pet dander).
Symptoms include:
sneezing and coughing
a runny or blocked nose (congestion)
itchy, red or watery eyes
itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
loss of smell
mucus that runs down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)
swollen, bruised-appearing skin under the eyes (allergic shiners)
pain around your temples and forehead
headache
earache
extreme tiredness (fatigue), often due to poor sleep
If you have asthma, you might also:
have a tight feeling in your chest
be short of breath
wheeze and cough
Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when its warm, humid and windy – this is when the pollen count is highest.
As debilitating as hay fever can be, you don't have to put up with annoying symptoms, you can learn to avoid triggers and find the right treatment. Over-the-counter antihistamines, nasal sprays, and eye drops can provide symptomatic relief and taking preventative measures such as regularly monitoring pollen forecasts, keeping windows closed during peak pollen times, dusting with a damp cloth and using air purifiers and vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters can help reduce exposure. Additionally, keeping your eyes covered with sunglasses when outside, avoiding cutting the grass or having fresh flowers in your house and ensuring you shower and change your clothes after you have been outside can all help keep symptoms at bay.
Another treatment option that offers rapid relief from severe hay fever symptoms such as inflammation, congestion, and severe allergies, are cortisone injections. They deliver a potent anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, providing quick and targeted relief. This treatment is particularly beneficial if you haven’t responded well to other allergy medications or experience debilitating symptoms.
Hay fever injections are offered at The Leigh Injection Clinic. They are administered into the buttock, and one injection can last a whole season, unless your hay fever season is particularly long in which case a second injection maybe required. To maximise potential success it’s best to have the injection before your symptoms start.
By employing the above strategies and seeking support from healthcare professionals, we can navigate through the hay fever season with relief from our symptoms, and perhaps even enjoying the seasonal changes and the joys of spring!
The Leigh Injection Clinic are based on the coast in Leigh on Sea, Essex – perfect for patients in Essex, Kent, London, and surrounding areas.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hay-fever/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20373039
https://www.healthline.com/health/steroid-shot-for-allergies#side-effects