Hayfever Treatments Advice

Help and advice on the causes of hayfever the effects and the best hayfever treatments available

The objective of all current hayfever treatments is to try to enable you, despite the occurrence of the symptoms, to lead a normal lifestyle by management of these symptoms. The strength of the treatment depends on how bad your symptoms are, and what you really need to do whilst taking the treatment.

I found many treatments available together with many do's and don'ts: And the No 1 recommendation is avoidance.

1) Avoid pollen, pet hair, dust mites, and central heating.
2) Don't sleep with the windows open
3) Don't drive a car with the windows open
4) Avoid flowers in the house
5) Don't cut the grass on hot sunny days.
6) Don't live next door to a neighbour who cuts grass on hot sunny days.
7) Wear goggles to protect your eyes from pollen.
8) Wear a face mask to stop you breathing in pollutants.
9) Don't keep pets indoors.
10) Put Vaseline on the lining of the nose.

Get a life! Walk around with a gold fish bowl over your head!!

Most of us cannot live our lives not doing some of these things. Or we don't want to. Why should we? We want to lead a normal life too.

Lets look at the many treatments currently available. I looked at the regularly recommended ones; I found 8 varying treatments that are available.

Here is a summary
1) Antihistamine tablets, capsules, or liquid medicines: The commonest treatment, these help the symptoms of hayfever, the latest ones having excellent safety. But they may not treat all of your symptoms well enough on their own, and all have side effects to some degree.

2) Antiallergenic nasal sprays or eye drops: A bit confusing as other medicines also act against allergy. These are used for people who do not want to use steroid sprays and drops. They work and have very good safety. However they only help the nose and eyes.

3) Antihistamine sprays or drops: They work about as well as the antiallergenic drugs. Like them they only help the nose or eyes where they are applied.

4) Steroid sprays or drops: Very effective and safe for the nose only. Steroid eye drops are very effective but can have serious side effects.

5) Decongestant sprays: Can help a lot for a few days. Prolonged use can worsen symptoms.

6) Decongestant tablets: They help blockage of the nose, but have side effects, especially in people with high blood pressure or other medical conditions. Some antihistamine tablets or capsules have a decongestant in them too. Always read the labels carefully.

7) Steroid tablets or injections: These work well but have side effects. They should only be used for short periods.

8) Desensitising injections: Widely used through out the world but they have been almost stopped being used in Britain.

Wow! That's a lot of treatments. Don't take them all at once! If your hayfever is really that bad then you had better see a recognised allergy expert or specialist.