Hay fever is mainly caused by an allergic reaction to pollen. It usually occurs when the pollen comes into contact with your eyes, mouth, throat, and nose. In contrast to a cold, hay fever is not caused by a virus. It’s brought about by an allergic response to indoor or outdoor allergens, like dust mites, pollen, or tiny skin flakes and saliva or fur (pet dander) shed by animals such as cats and dogs. Keep reading to learn how to treat hay fever in Pontarddulais.
The symptoms of hay fever can make you miserable, interfere with your work or school performance and generally affect your quality of life. But you do not have to suffer from these symptoms. Instead, you can figure out how to avoid triggers and find a treatment that works for you.
Symptoms of hay fever
The most common hay fever symptoms include:
- Nasal congestion and a runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Allergic conjunctivitis (watery, itchy, red eyes)
- Sneezing
- Itchy nose, palate or throat
- Cough
- Allergic shiners (swollen, blue-coloured skin under the eyes)
- Fatigue
A person with hay fever will experience symptoms as long as they are exposed to allergens, usually for several weeks.
What causes hay fever?
You usually start experiencing symptoms of hay fever as soon as you are exposed to the allergen. Allergens can be outdoors or indoors, seasonal or year-round.
Here are some common allergens:
- Pollen
- Perfume
- Mould or fungi
- Dust mites
- Pet fur or dander
- Cigarette smoke
The immune system mistakenly views these allergens as harmful, causing your body to react. Your immune system then responds by producing antibodies to protect you. When antibodies bind to your blood vessels, they trigger an inflammatory reaction that releases chemicals such as histamine. The result is hay fever symptoms.
How do you manage or treat hay fever in Pontarddulais?
You can reduce your symptoms at home with home treatments and routine changes. By regularly cleaning and airing out the rooms in your house, you can minimise the risk of coming into contact with mould and dust. To stay on top of pollen counts and wind speeds when you are outdoors, you can use a weather app.
Other lifestyle changes you can make include:
- Ensuring that you close windows to prevent pollen from getting in.
- Wearing wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes when you go outdoors.
- Controlling mould using a dehumidifier.
- Washing your hands after interacting with or petting animals in an airy space.
Use a neti pot or saline spray to relieve congestion. Postnasal drip may also be minimised with these options, thus reducing sore throats.
The following are treatment options for children:
- Eye drops
- Non-drowsy antihistamines
- Saline nasal rinses
- Allergy shots, usually given to children aged 5 years and above
It may also be effective to cook or season foods with turmeric. This spice has decongestant and anti-allergic properties.
Honey is also believed to reduce seasonal allergies. Honey should not be consumed by those allergic to bees. Honey may, at the very least, soothe a scratchy throat or sore throat.
What is the most effective way to treat hay fever in Pontarddulais?
You can often treat hay fever with over-the-counter medications from your pharmacist. Nevertheless, your pharmacist may advise you to consult your GP if your symptoms are more troubling, as you may need prescription medication.
You typically only need to visit your GP if:
- Taking over-the-counter medications doesn’t help control your symptoms, or the medication has problematic side effects.
- You’re suffering from persistent hay fever complications, such as asthma or sinusitis that keeps getting worse.
- It seems that your symptoms occur at specific places such as only at work or during the winter (and further testing will be necessary to confirm that it isn’t pollen).
Hay fever can also be treated with immunotherapy in the event of severe and persistent symptoms.
Over time, you are exposed to small amounts of pollen so that you can build resistance to its allergic effects. However, it can take a long time for this to work.
How can a pharmacist help treat hay fever in Pontarddulais?
Today, there are a variety of non-drowsy antihistamines available over the counter. In some cases, taking these medications before the pollen spreads in the air can prevent symptoms from developing. Talk to your pharmacist about what you can take. If your symptoms are severe, you may require prescription medication. For example, allergy shots or immunotherapy may be necessary.
It’s important to consult with your pharmacist if you think you have hay fever.
They can recommend an antihistamine drop, tablet, or nasal spray to help with:
- Sneezing and itchy and watery eyes
- A blocked nose
Visit Medihub Pharmacy today for the best hay fever treatment and advice.
This post was written on behalf of Medihub Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.
