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Hayfever

04/05/2011

The unusual weather we’ve had for the past few weeks has meant that in the last couple of days I’ve seen a record number of people in the surgery suffering from really bad hayfever. As usual, boys are affected more than girls – I have no idea why this is – but what is different at the moment is the severity of eye symptoms.  Hayfever often causes slightly red, itchy eyes, but yesterday I saw several teenage boys whose eyes were so red, swollen and watering that they could not manage their school work.

Antihistamine tablets, such as cetirizine or loratadine ( more about these further down ) can help with hayfever symptoms, including itchy eyes, but better still is to use anti-allergy eye drops. They are available to buy from chemists, but larger quantities are cheaper on prescription. Depending on your choice, they need to be used several times a day – don’t expect drops applied in the morning to still be working mid afternoon. That means youngsters need to be given a bottle of drops to use at school.

Blocked runny noses are best tackled with steroid nasal sprays, which reduce inflammation in the nose lining. Unlike most eye drops, these don’t work instantly, but rather take several days for the effect to kick in. They must be used regularly throughout the hayfever season – don’t stop just because the pollen count goes down on a rainy day. When using nose drops or sprays don’t tip your head back, as that way all the medicine just goes down your throat. Instead, keep your head straight. It may seem strange, but that way the active ingredient will go where it’s needed. Some experts even go so far as to recommend putting drops in with your head bent down. I’ve always found this quite difficult, but it’s worth a try.

Finally, more about antihistamine tablets.  A variety are available, and different ones work best on different people – so don’t assume that the one your best friend swears by will be good for you. Try and avoid tablets containing the active ingredient chlorpheniramine (found in Piriton). Your grandmother may swear by it, but it is notorious for causing drowsiness, and modern  alternatives  work just as well, if not better, without making you fall asleep. That said though, don’t be tempted to take more than the recommended dose. Once a day means just that, not one in the morning and another in the evening. If you do take two or more, you won’t get any better symptoms relief, but you are likely to get more side effects, and that could include feeling just a bit less alert – not good news if you are planning on driving anywhere.

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