Yahoo News 11 ways to stop hay fever – immediately
Hay fever season is upon us, and for sufferers that can mean months of unpleasant sneezing, nose blowing and sore, itchy eyes. Fortunately, there are multiple safe and effective medicines, as well as alternative remedies to try.
“We know that the combination of regular antihistamine use alongside nasal steroid sprays is safe and will significantly improve the symptoms of 85 per cent of patients, provided they take them regularly. Taking precautions and using products that deliver fast and effective relief is key,” says Prof Adam Fox, a paediatric allergist and one of the UK’s leading specialists in allergies.
Read on for everything you need to know about how to stop hay fever symptoms in their tracks, fast.
What causes hay fever?
Hay fever symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction to tiny airborne particles of pollen, produced by trees, grass and weeds between spring and autumn.
The pollen can find its way into our nose, throat and eyes, and in some people, it inflames them resulting in unpleasant symptoms.
Hay fever symptoms
Hay fever can look and feel a bit like a cold, yet you won’t have an actual fever with hay fever and are unlikely to have body aches. Symptoms can include:
Persistent sneezing
A runny or stuffy nose
Itchy, watery and red eyes and eyelid swelling
Sore and itchy throat
Coughing
Headaches
Fatigue and irritability
Wheezing and shortness of breath
Difficulty sleeping
Hay fever can also trigger pollen food syndrome, where you develop an itchy reaction in your mouth to certain raw foods, including apples, peaches, cherries, melon, watermelon, potatoes and carrots.
11 ways to stop hay fever in its tracks
Sometimes you need to stop hay fever fast – you’re getting married or speaking at an event for example, and you don’t want to be embarrassed by a constantly running nose or excessive sneezing.
In that case, Dr Adrian Morris, a consultant allergist at the Surrey Allergy Clinic, recommends trying fast-acting steroids or taking a slightly larger dose of antihistamines.
Medications
1. Antihistamines
Antihistamines are the first-line treatment for hay fever and are extensively researched and very safe. They work by blocking the chemical, histamine, released by your immune system when it’s triggered by hay fever. They can help with sneezing, a runny nose and itching, but don’t work so well on a blocked nose.
There are many different types, but they’re usually split into the first generation that can make you feel sleepy like chlorphenamime (Piriton), and the second and third generation of non-drowsy antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) and fexofenadine (Allegra). Antihistamine eye drops can help relieve irritated and itchy eyes.
Dr Morris recommends fexofenadine, as users report it is less sedating than some. You can buy 120mg tablets over the counter. A 180mg tablet will work faster, but for this dose, you need a prescription.
2. Nasal Corticosteroids
These are steroids which you spray into your nose to reduce the stuffiness and the unpleasant itchy, runny feeling. Most of them take longer to work than antihistamines, but if you need a quick result, Dr Morris recommends prednisolone, which is a faster-acting prescription steroid.
“Nasal steroid sprays are effective, but in most cases, it takes a week before you see the benefits, so you have to be disciplined and use them regularly. Sometimes people stop taking them as soon as they start to work, and then they relapse. Some brands combine them with antihistamines
Because the antihistamine works quickly, then the steroid kicks in after that,” says Dr Morris.
There are several different brands available over the counter.
3. Decongestants
Decongestants act on the blood vessels on the nose by shrinking them, so you get less blood flow into the nasal membranes and they’re less congested. “The problem is they can cause blockages if you use them for more than a week. They’re fine if you use them for a day or two, but make sure not to get hooked on them,” says Dr Morris. One example is pseudoephedrine – known as the brand Sudafed.
4. Leukotriene modifiers
Leukotriene modifiers are anti-inflammatory drugs that are usually prescribed for asthma but are licensed for hay fever. Some people with severe hay fever might find them useful in addition to antihistamines and steroids, but doctors prefer immunotherapy as a treatment for severe hay fever.
“My personal experience is that it doesn’t fit for most people. Normally we would escalate from antihistamines to nasal sprays, and then if they weren’t doing the job we’d try immunotherapy,” says Prof Adam Fox.
Alternative remedies
Some people find that medications don’t work, or that even the non-drowsy antihistamines make them feel tired. They may also be worried about side effects and therefore want to try natural remedies.
5. Nasal saline rinses
This is when you rinse out your nose with a salt-water solution, to flush out any lingering pollen that might be causing symptoms.
Use boiled and cooled water or filtered water and add a teaspoon of salt and bicarbonate of soda. Stand over a sink and ideally use a syringe or receptacle designed for nasal rinsing. The water should run through your nose and come out of your mouth. It may feel a little odd at first. You can also buy ready-made kits from the chemist.
“You can’t go wrong with these – rinsing out the pollen which is otherwise sitting in your nose causing trouble is bound to be helpful. I often recommend using them just before using your steroid nasal spray to clean out your nose to create an exposed clean surface to put the medication on,” says Prof Fox.
6. Light therapy
Light therapy is a relatively new treatment, where infrared lights are shined into your nose and supposedly reduce inflammation caused by hay fever. You can buy kits at chemists or online. “We need some long-term studies on this, but I have heard from some colleagues that they’ve tried these devices on their patients and have reported a really good impact. One to watch,” says Prof Fox.
7. Ectoin sprays
Ectoin is a naturally occurring ingredient garnering a lot of attention. It essentially acts as a barrier protecting the inside of your nose from pollen and other allergens and can be found in fusion allergy products. Unlike using Vaseline or other pollen balms around your nose, ectoin can be used inside your nose. “It’s effective and safe and a good preventative, first-line treatment,” says Prof Fox.
8. Quercetin
Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonoid found in many dark-skinned foods such as dark-skinned apples and red onions, but also in purple grapes, kale, broccoli and capers. Some limited evidence shows it may have antihistamine-like effects, although there is no conclusive science. It’s hard to get enough of it from food, so taking a supplement might be a better strategy if you want to give it a try.
9. Acupuncture
A couple of small studies have shown acupuncture can help with hay fever symptoms. “It’s hard to know what the biological reason for that might be, but there’s no harm in giving it a try,” says Prof Fox.
10. Anti-inflammatory foods
Many hay fever symptoms are due to inflammation, and several foods are known to be anti-inflammatory. There’s no harm in trying anti-inflammatory ginger, turmeric and Vitamin C to see if they help. Some products such as Verve V80, a green powder that you mix with water, contain high doses of Vitamin C, ginger and other antioxidants.
Similarly, having a diverse gut microbiome can be associated with fewer allergies, so it is important to eat many different fruits and vegetables regularly.
11. Environmental Controls
Air purifiers
Keeping yourself – and your pet – clean
Avoid busy roads
Replace your car filter and hoover upholstery
Buying an air purifier is a good investment if allergies bother you at night, as it will rid the air of any pollen that might have blown in during the day.
Make sure to buy one with a high efficiency particulate air filter, as these have been shown to capture up to 99.97 per cent of air particles.
Washing your hair and cleaning your eyelashes will help to avoid pollen rubbing onto your pillow and causing symptoms to flare up at night. Also, take your shoes off at the door when you get home and change your clothes.
Clean your pet when they’ve been outside. The UK’s chief pollen forecaster, Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, says “Pets can bring pollen in on their fur, wipe them down with a damp cloth when they come in.”
Try to avoid busy roads during high pollen count days. “Pollution particles and gasses are proven to interact with pollen, increasing the allergenic potency of the pollen grains themselves, whilst also enhancing the inflammatory impact of the allergens in the respiratory system,” says Dr Beverley Adams-Groom.
Replace your car air filter at least once a year, otherwise, it will just recycle air packed with pollen every time you use the AC or heating.
Hoover the upholstery where pollen can linger.
Advanced treatments
Immunotherapy
Although not an immediate cure, if you have severe symptoms that don’t respond to antihistamines and steroid nose sprays, then you may be referred for immunotherapy – also known as desensitisation treatment. This is available on the NHS although the waiting list could be long, or you can have treatment privately.
This approach works by gradually building up your resistance to pollen by giving small doses in the form of an injection, tablet or drops, over three years.
You need to start treatment in advance of the hay fever season and over time it reduces people’s need for any medication.
“In my experience, immunotherapy is very effective. It is expensive if you’re accessing it privately – the prescription costs around £100 a month – but the tablets we give them are getting better and better,” says Dr Morris.
