Health News: Hay fever
Dr Sylvester Mooney answers all your health questions!
Dr. Sylvester Mooney is the Medical Director at webdoctor.ie. He studied in UCD and he qualified in medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. The areas of women’s health, travel medicine, reactive depression and men’s health are of special interest.
Dear Dr,
As summer is coming, I’m dreading hay fever season more and more. I’m getting a bit sick of having a runny nose in the middle of July, let alone the itchy eyes. What are the best products for hay fever?
Hay fever sufferers rightly dread the onset of the symptoms you describe. These symptoms occur in certain individuals because their immune system is especially sensitive to the various pollens. It appears the elements of the immune system deployed at these entry points to the body (the nose and the eyes) ‘over react’ with the release of histamine compounds. This ‘over the top’ inflammatory response usually results in profuse watery discharge from the nose and eyes. In addition the inflammation causes a swelling of the nasal lining, which obstructs airflow adding to the misery!
As there is no ‘cure’ the aim of treatment is to control the condition. The treatment involves taking a daily antihistamine tablet along with a daily dose of a low dose steroid nasal spray. The steroid nasal spray is used for its anti-inflammatory effect which prevents the nasal lining from swelling and causing the nasal stuffiness. In addition, this stops the overproduction of fluid and mucus from the inflamed nasal lining and the use of a salt-water solution is used to wash the nasal passages to help in clearance of the nasal mucus.
If, despite using these medicines for a minimum of four to six weeks, the symptoms persist, then consideration can be given to using a systemic dose of steroids usually by injection. This can last for 6 to 12 weeks but responses vary. Also this treatment should be used rarely and not more than once a year.
