General
Hayfever is an allergic reaction to pollen grains, of which grass pollen is the most common type. Sneezing, a runny nose (rhinitis), nasal congestion and watery eyes are the most common symptoms but wheezing and coughing can also be a problem for a significant proportion.
The higher the pollen count level in the atmosphere, the worse the effects, with symptoms often being at their worst in the early morning and late evening. It is estimated that between May and August 2% to 10% of the population suffer from hayfever and those who suffer allergies such as asthma are more likely to suffer from hayfever also.
Hayfever is most common in those aged between 16 and 34.
Some tips on reducing your contact with pollen:
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Avoid freshly cut grass and get somebody else to mow the lawn.
Stay indoors with the windows closed.
Do not sleep with an open window.
Keep car windows closed. Some cars now have pollen filters.
Wear sunglasses to prevent pollen grains getting in your eyes.
Wash your hands regularly and do not touch your eyes with your hands.
Apply Vaseline to the nose, which can trap the pollen and prevent it travelling further up the nasal passage.
As coastal areas have lower pollen levels, go to the coast when the pollen counts are high.
Do not smoke and avoid smokey atmospheres.
It is recommended that if there is a history of pollen allergy in a family, newborn babies should be kept away from high pollen concentrations.
Take appropriate preventative medicine (See below)..
A number of oral antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops are available without
prescription.
Antihistamines are taken to prevent and treat the allergy
directly. Older, oral antihistamines such as PIRITON™
will reduce symptoms but can cause drowsiness. The sedating anti-histamines need
to be taken a number of times in the day and interact with some other medicines.
For adults, one tablet of PIRITON™ is taken every
four to six hours to a maximum of six in 24 hours, while children take half the
adult dose.
Children over 6 years of age can take PIRITON™.
PHENERGAN™ elixir, may be used in children from 2 years with dosage dependent
on age. PHENERGAN™ elixir can also cause drowsiness
and at high doses may cause photosensitivity thus increasing the risk of being
sunburnt.
The newer antihistamines, ZIRTEK™ (and
generic versions of ZIRPINE and HISTEK) and CLARITYN™
(generic versions available as HISTACLAR, ZYNOR ALLERGY)
and are considered to cause much less drowsiness. For
ZIRTEK adults, the elderly and children aged 6 years
and over, the recommended dose is one 10mg tablet once daily, while experience
mild side effects the dosage should be halved and take twice daily. Zirtek is
regarded as usually non-sedative but in very sensitive sensitive people (less
than 10% of patients) some drowsiness has been reported. . The recommended
dose of CLARITYN Tablets for adults and children
over 12 years of age and for children aged between 2 and 12 years is one tablet
once daily. For children aged 2 to 12 years of age with a body weight more than
30Kg is one 10mg tablet once daily. The 10mg tablet is not appropriate in children
with a bodyweight less than 30kg. It is very rare that CLARITYN
causes drowsiness. For children from 2 years of age, ZIRTEK
oral solution is available without prescription. Dosage is dependent on weight.
As oral antihistamines alone are not effective in treating nasal congestion,
they are combined with a decongestant in ACTIFED™
which is available as tablet or as a liquid that can be administered to children.
Nasal Congestion can be treated by nasal corticosteroid sprays such
as BECONASE HAYFEVER™ Nasal Spray or FLIXONASE
ALLERGY RELIEF™. The adult dose (over 18 years) of BECONASE
HAYFEVER™ is two sprays in each nostril morning and evening while it is
recommended that two sprays of FLIXONASE ALLERGY RELIEF™
be used in the morning only by adults and children over 12 years of age. The manufacturers
of BECONASE HAYFEVER recommend regular usage is essential
for full therapeutic benefit. However, if there is no response after 14 days of
treatment, medical advice should be sought. It should not be used continuously
for longer than 3 months without consulting your doctor.
For FLIXONASE
onset of action in the treatment of allergic rhinitis has been observed as early
as 2-4 hours after use, with most users achieving symptomatic relief within 12
hours of treatment. Maximum benefit may require 3-4 days of continuous treatment
in some people. If there is no improvement within 7 days, you should consult your
doctor.
Where symptoms of a runny nose (rhinitis) and watering eyes
are particularly bad, and cannot be controlled by oral antihistamines alone, these
can be treated by nasal sprays such as VIVIDRIN™
and RYNACROM™ and eye drops such as HAY-CROM™,
OPTICROM™ and VIVIDRIN™. These preventative
medicines can be administered up to four times daily and should be started a week
or two before the pollen season commences. Where the sufferers experience bad
eye symptoms, the use of combined antihistamine/sympathomimetic eye drops, OTRIVINE-ANTISTIN™
can be recommended. Adults should use one or two drops up to three times daily;
for children over 5 years one drop can be instilled up to three times daily. NASALEZE®
is cellulose-based nasal powder spray which when used forms a gel like
mucous lining in the nasal tract that acts as a filter to remove pollens and other
allergens. As it does not contain any drug it is suitable for use by both children
and pregnant women and does not cause drowsiness.
At the end of the
hayfever season, the prescription and non-prescription medications used should
be reviewed and plans made for the following hayfever season.
references
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