shirl
06-09-2008, 06:29 PM
It's that time of the year again. Aaaaacccchhhhoooo!
It's the sneezing epidemic from hay fever. This last winter wasn't especially harsh but the spring didn't really materialise and suddenly summer surprises us with long hours of sunshine.
This Bank Holiday has been wonderful for those of us on the east coast with long, sunny days and warm temperatures. The newspapers carry prominent features on gardening and the sound of lawn mowers has almost drowned the background drone of vehicular traffic where I live. It's very pleasant weather for the majority, but a miserable spell for pollen-allergic, hay fever sufferers. So, what's happening?
Symptoms:
- Sneezing.
- Blocked and runny nose.
- Itchy eyes.
- Cough and occasional wheeze.
- Itch along roof of mouth and back of throat.
- Intense lethargy.
Who is affected?
About 20pc of the population, especially teenagers and young people. However it can erupt at any age.
What causes hay fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen (mainly) and mould spores. It is a particularly seasonal problem (especially mid-summer), but can drag on into early September. Allowing for weather variations, the pollen season begins along the warmer coasts of west Cork (http://www.independent.ie/topics/County+Cork) and Kerry in early May. A week or so later the southwestern counties' plants release pollen and by the end of May high pollen counts can be detected countrywide. The pollen count measures the amount of pollen in the air over 24 hours. High levels of pollen occur on warm, dry and sunny days. Low levels occur on wet, damp and cold days. Rain washes pollen out of the air. Pollen is released in the morning and carried higher into the air by midday. It descends again to "nose-level" in the late afternoon. Cities and dense urban areas stay warmer longer and hold pollen. Combine this with atmospheric pollution from car fumes and you can understand why city dwellers suffer more aggressive hay fever than their country cousins.
What can I do to help myself?
- Avoid areas of lush grassland.
- Keep house and car windows closed during peak pollen hours.
- Wear sunglasses.
- If you can, avoid being outdoors late morning and late afternoon.
- Don't smoke and keep away from smokers (passive smoking aggravates all allergies).
- Get someone else to mow the lawn.
- Choose seaside breaks for holidays as off-shore breezes blow pollen away.
- Check TV, radio and newspapers for the next day's pollen count and plan your schedule accordingly.
What treatments can I take?
The most effective therapy is an antihistamine to "mop up" excess circulating histamine -- the main cause of hay-fever symptoms. This is often combined with a low-dose-steroid nasal spray and special anti-allergy eye drops. However, the trick to successful management is controlling nasal blockage.
Neither an antihistamine nor standard low-dose-steroid nose spray will unblock very congested nostrils. A short course of decongestants may be needed to provide immediate relief and allow the usual medication to become effective. Ask your pharmacist or GP for advice. When choosing an across-the-counter antihistamine, ask for one of the newer "won't make me drowsy" products -- some older drugs control hay fever by sending the sufferer asleep for most of the summer!
I've heard all that stuff before. Is there anything new?
Yes, desensitisation is now available. Sometimes referred to as allergen immunotherapy, or specific immunotherapy, this is the promise of better things to come in allergy treatment.
Perfectly compatible with the use of standard hay-fever drugs, desensitisation is the only therapy that can prevent and cure allergic disease. Moreover, it blocks exacerbation of the condition, (e.g. the deterioration over time of a simple nasal allergy into full-blown asthma), and complications such as multiple-sensitisation, where hypersensitivity to other substances develops.
Desensitisation works by gradually modulating the body's immune response to the guilty allergen so the hypersensitive state steadily wanes. In this way, the allergic reaction is inhibited.
Currently, there are two products available on the Irish market, Grazax (targeting Timothy grass specifically) and Staloral (targeting one or more grass types).
This treatment focuses very tightly on individual patient allergies. It is ideally prescribed through specialised allergy centres, where the culprit pollens can be accurately identified.
However, it must be started well before the pollen season, so pencil it in now for next summer.
If you'd like to help yourself through the worst of these weeks consider Sinus Rinse (available at your pharmacy without prescription).
This is a solution of salt and baking soda that is used to cleanse the nasal lining of allergy provoking substances. Read the instructions carefully before starting. Also, consider investing in an air cleanser: check www.pureairtechnologies.co.uk, for their excellent range of products.
Is there anything specific I should ask my doctor to prescribe if I feel really miserable?
There is a new nasal spray called Avamys (a GlaxoSmithKline (http://www.independent.ie/topics/GlaxoSmithKline+plc) product). This compound helps both nose and eye irritation from pollen allergy.
However, Avamys cannot work if it's being sprayed into an already bunged-up nose. Ask your doctor how to unblock your nose before using any nasal spray.
For more information on allergic conditions visit www.todaysallergies.com (http://www.todaysallergies.com/)
- Dr Paul Carson
It's the sneezing epidemic from hay fever. This last winter wasn't especially harsh but the spring didn't really materialise and suddenly summer surprises us with long hours of sunshine.
This Bank Holiday has been wonderful for those of us on the east coast with long, sunny days and warm temperatures. The newspapers carry prominent features on gardening and the sound of lawn mowers has almost drowned the background drone of vehicular traffic where I live. It's very pleasant weather for the majority, but a miserable spell for pollen-allergic, hay fever sufferers. So, what's happening?
Symptoms:
- Sneezing.
- Blocked and runny nose.
- Itchy eyes.
- Cough and occasional wheeze.
- Itch along roof of mouth and back of throat.
- Intense lethargy.
Who is affected?
About 20pc of the population, especially teenagers and young people. However it can erupt at any age.
What causes hay fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen (mainly) and mould spores. It is a particularly seasonal problem (especially mid-summer), but can drag on into early September. Allowing for weather variations, the pollen season begins along the warmer coasts of west Cork (http://www.independent.ie/topics/County+Cork) and Kerry in early May. A week or so later the southwestern counties' plants release pollen and by the end of May high pollen counts can be detected countrywide. The pollen count measures the amount of pollen in the air over 24 hours. High levels of pollen occur on warm, dry and sunny days. Low levels occur on wet, damp and cold days. Rain washes pollen out of the air. Pollen is released in the morning and carried higher into the air by midday. It descends again to "nose-level" in the late afternoon. Cities and dense urban areas stay warmer longer and hold pollen. Combine this with atmospheric pollution from car fumes and you can understand why city dwellers suffer more aggressive hay fever than their country cousins.
What can I do to help myself?
- Avoid areas of lush grassland.
- Keep house and car windows closed during peak pollen hours.
- Wear sunglasses.
- If you can, avoid being outdoors late morning and late afternoon.
- Don't smoke and keep away from smokers (passive smoking aggravates all allergies).
- Get someone else to mow the lawn.
- Choose seaside breaks for holidays as off-shore breezes blow pollen away.
- Check TV, radio and newspapers for the next day's pollen count and plan your schedule accordingly.
What treatments can I take?
The most effective therapy is an antihistamine to "mop up" excess circulating histamine -- the main cause of hay-fever symptoms. This is often combined with a low-dose-steroid nasal spray and special anti-allergy eye drops. However, the trick to successful management is controlling nasal blockage.
Neither an antihistamine nor standard low-dose-steroid nose spray will unblock very congested nostrils. A short course of decongestants may be needed to provide immediate relief and allow the usual medication to become effective. Ask your pharmacist or GP for advice. When choosing an across-the-counter antihistamine, ask for one of the newer "won't make me drowsy" products -- some older drugs control hay fever by sending the sufferer asleep for most of the summer!
I've heard all that stuff before. Is there anything new?
Yes, desensitisation is now available. Sometimes referred to as allergen immunotherapy, or specific immunotherapy, this is the promise of better things to come in allergy treatment.
Perfectly compatible with the use of standard hay-fever drugs, desensitisation is the only therapy that can prevent and cure allergic disease. Moreover, it blocks exacerbation of the condition, (e.g. the deterioration over time of a simple nasal allergy into full-blown asthma), and complications such as multiple-sensitisation, where hypersensitivity to other substances develops.
Desensitisation works by gradually modulating the body's immune response to the guilty allergen so the hypersensitive state steadily wanes. In this way, the allergic reaction is inhibited.
Currently, there are two products available on the Irish market, Grazax (targeting Timothy grass specifically) and Staloral (targeting one or more grass types).
This treatment focuses very tightly on individual patient allergies. It is ideally prescribed through specialised allergy centres, where the culprit pollens can be accurately identified.
However, it must be started well before the pollen season, so pencil it in now for next summer.
If you'd like to help yourself through the worst of these weeks consider Sinus Rinse (available at your pharmacy without prescription).
This is a solution of salt and baking soda that is used to cleanse the nasal lining of allergy provoking substances. Read the instructions carefully before starting. Also, consider investing in an air cleanser: check www.pureairtechnologies.co.uk, for their excellent range of products.
Is there anything specific I should ask my doctor to prescribe if I feel really miserable?
There is a new nasal spray called Avamys (a GlaxoSmithKline (http://www.independent.ie/topics/GlaxoSmithKline+plc) product). This compound helps both nose and eye irritation from pollen allergy.
However, Avamys cannot work if it's being sprayed into an already bunged-up nose. Ask your doctor how to unblock your nose before using any nasal spray.
For more information on allergic conditions visit www.todaysallergies.com (http://www.todaysallergies.com/)
- Dr Paul Carson