Allergy And Hay Fever Treatment

Hay fever, also known as Allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction to pollen.

Hay fever affects roughly 20% of people in the UK.

You can develop hay fever at any age. In most cases, hay fever develops when a person is young.

Some older people can develop hay fever without having suffered from the condition previously.

Common hay fever symptoms include:

• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose
• Itchy ear and throat
• Tiredness
• Wheezing.

The allergic reaction to pollen is caused by an overproduction of a chemical in the body called 'histamine'.

Histamine is produced by mast cells.

These cells hold onto the histamine and will only release it to regulate certain responses in the body.

However, during allergic reactions, the body sends a signal to mast cells when you are exposed to whatever it is you are allergic to, to release high levels of histamine.

Histamine then causes the reactions such as runny nose and itchy eyes.

Hay Fever is caused by the body being over sensitive to pollen.

The pollen, which is at its highest levels during the summer, triggers the mast cells to release histamine in the body.

Some people can tolerate certain types of pollen and are intolerant only to certain strains. This can be identified by carrying out patch tests.

The majority of hay fever sufferers in the UK (around 90%) are allergic to grass pollen.

This is very hard to avoid during the summer, when grass is commonly cut. Other types of pollen are tree pollen and weed pollen.

It is clear why some people are allergic to pollen.

Risk factors which can make hay fever more likely include:

• Family history
• Asthma
• Lack of exposure to the outdoors as a child

Hay fever season runs from spring to summer. Grass pollen is the most common allergen and this is most prevalent from May until July.

However, both tree and weed pollens can also cause hay fever. Tree and weed pollen can become prevalent in February, running until September.

Both adults and children can be affected by hay fever.

Hay fever symptoms include:

• Watering eyes
• Rash
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Blocked Nose
• Raised Temperature
• Wheezing

Just because you haven't experienced hay fever early in life, does not mean you won't experience it later.

In fact, anyone can develop hay fever at any age.

If you are allergic to pollen, symptoms should lessen or disappear in colder winter months.

However, if you are allergic to dust, you may experience symptoms year round.

Those who are allergic to dust may actually notice their symptoms more in winter, as they spend more time indoors.

Dust mites, mould, and animals are just some of the triggers which can cause you to have a runny nose, itchy eyes, and other hay fever symptoms.

If you can, you should try to identify and avoid hay fever triggers.

As hay fever shares many symptoms with the common cold, it can be hard to differentiate between the two.

However, hay fever usually lasts a lot longer than a cold.

A cold usually lasts no more than two weeks. If the pollen count is high, hay fever can last for weeks or even a matter of months.

If you are unsure whether you have hay fever, keep a note of the pollen count. This can help you identify if you do or not.

When it comes to hay fever, symptoms will worsen when the pollen count is high.

Itchy eyes, which hay fever sufferers may experience, is not a symptom associated with the common cold.

To reduce hay fever symptoms, you should make sure to follow these simple steps.

When the pollen count is high, wear a hat and sunglasses to minimise exposure to your eyes.

You should also keep windows and doors closed in your home to prevent pollen from entering your home.

You should also shower and wash your hair on high pollen days.

If you've been outside for most of the day, it can be a good idea to change your clothing. You should avoid hanging clothes outside.

You can also put vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen.

There are also many ways to relieve hay fever symptoms.

At Online Mens Clinic, we supply treatments including:

• Nasal sprays (Avamys, Dymista, Flixonase)
• Tablets (such as Fexofenadine)

Most hay fever medications are available to buy both over the counter and online.

The medications used for treating allergy and hay fever work by either stopping the mast cell from releasing histamine altogether or by reducing the overall effects of histamine.

It is always advised that you consult with your doctor. They will be able to recommend the right treatment for you.