Hay fever afflicts 10-25% of the population and the term is usually applied to summer season plant pollen allergies. Although typically thought of as a summer condition it can affect people at any time of year depending on the pollen the individual is allergic to. Ash and pine pollen is released in in April and May whilst weed pollens last from June to September. If you are really unlucky you could be sensitive to several pollens and suffer from March to October!
I often identify the condition in individuals who insist they cannot have hay fever as they have never experienced it before. Unfortunately an allergy can develop at any time in life but usually starts for the first time after the age of 6.
Symptoms
Itchy eyes, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, sometimes skin rashes.
Hay fever may also make asthma worse and cause facial pain due to sinusitis. Chronic sufferers may experience depression and the pollen season is at its height during the exam period. For these reasons effective treatment is essential.
Prevention
The severity of symptoms will depend on the pollen count so keep an eye on the forecast.
Some simple preventative suggestions:
- Shut windows at night (hard when hot!);
- Use air-conditioning in your car if it has a pollen filter;
- Put petroleum jelly in the nostrils to trap pollen;
- Wear wraparound sunglasses.
Treatment:
- Oral antihistamine tablets. Various types are available, some cause sedation. Individual response will vary between drugs;
- Antihistamine eye drops;
- Nasal steroid sprays. These must be used regularly and are best started before the pollen season.
I have also found that saline nasal irrigation to be very effective as it washes out pollens from the nasal mucosa. This may be the preferred option to those who want a treatment without drugs.
If you need further advice, for example regarding medication that is suitable in pregnancy or interactions with other drugs, please do pop in for a chat.