Most of us spend the cold, wet, dark Scottish winters dreaming about the blossoming flowers, lighter evenings, and warmer weather that comes with the arrival of spring. However, for some, springtime means battling itchy eyes, runny noses, and constant sneezing as it marks the onset of hay fever season. In this blog post, we will delve into everything that you need to know about hay fever season, from its causes and symptoms to effective treatments to help you when the pollen count rises. Remember to check the Met Office’s pollen forecast daily to prepare!
What is Hay Fever?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen that often causes uncomfortable symptoms for sufferers. Most hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen which is most prominent in the summer months. However, some people suffer from tree pollen allergies which are more prevalent in the spring or have a reaction to mould or weed pollens which tend to peak in the autumn. Around 25% of the UK population suffer from varying degrees of hay fever symptoms. Overall, hay fever is seasonal with sufferers experiencing their symptoms during the spring and summer months when certain plants are in bloom and releasing large amounts of pollen into the air. However, individuals who are allergic to dust or mould spores may have persistent symptoms all year round as these allergens are present indoors.
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Hay fever can be diagnosed by your GP by your history of symptoms. Hay fever sufferers will usually display these symptoms for only a few months of the year and will otherwise be symptom free. While your GP will usually be able to diagnose you based on your symptoms, in some cases, they may wish to carry out immune response testing through skin pricks or blood tests but in most cases, this is not required. Hay fever symptoms vary from person to person and will even vary from day to day in an individual depending on the pollen levels. For example, the pollen levels will tend to go up on warm sunny days and reduce when weather is colder and wetter. The most common symptoms are usually:
- Runny nose
- Itchy eyes
- Blocked nose
- Itchy throat and mouth
- Headache
- Tiredness
Treatments
Unfortunately, there is no cure for hay fever at the moment, but there are a variety of treatments available from our pharmacies that can reduce the effects for sufferers. Here are our top tips for reducing pollen exposure:
- Wear sunglasses that fit closely to your eyes
- Shower when you get back in from being outside during the pollen season that triggers your hay fever
- Change your clothes after being in a higher pollen environment
- Stay inside when the pollen count is very high
- Apply a barrier preparation to your nostrils. Treatments like Vaseline are available from our pharmacies
Treatments for Milder Symptoms
We would usually recommend a one per day non-drowsy antihistamine such as cetirizine, loratadine, or fexofenadine to treat mild symptoms of hay fever. These are available to purchase over the counter at our pharmacies or are available through the NHS Pharmacy First service that we offer. Although these are classed as non-drowsy, some people may feel quite sleepy while taking them especially if you are using them for the first time. For most of our patients, we would choose to recommend these drugs over more sedating treatments such as chlorpheamine (Piriton) as these can reduce your ability to drive or perform tasks at work or school.
Treatments for Moderate Symptoms
In the case of moderate symptoms, we would recommend a steroid nasal spray such as beclomethasone (Beconase) or mometasone (Nasonex). These sprays are best used a few weeks before the symptoms usually occur and are continued everyday throughout the hay fever season. These are ideal for people who suffer from symptoms at the same time every year so are able to predict when their symptoms will arise and plan in advance for this.
Treatments for Severe Symptoms
In a small number of sufferers, the aforementioned treatments will not help sufficiently as their symptoms can be very severe. In this case, we can recommend immunotherapy which involves exposure to small amounts of pollen over time to help the body build up an immunity to it. This treatment is available on NHS Scotland but requires a referral from your GP.
It is important to have a consultation with a trained pharmacist or your GP before starting or changing treatments as people can react differently to different treatment options.
Injections for Hay Fever
The NHS used to provide steroid injections (usually a brand called Kenalog) to hay fever sufferers. This is now rarely offered as the risk of serious side effects outweighed the benefits. It should be remembered that once a drug is injected into the body, it cannot be removed. The person receiving the injection can be subject to the actions of the treatment (both good or bad) for several weeks. Due to the high-risk nature of this treatment, we do not offer it. We would advice our patients to discuss this type of therapy with a specialist allergy medical practitioner. The NHS routinely reviews treatments offered to patients for hay fever.
What’s New in Community Pharmacy?
For the 2024 hay fever season, Scottish community pharmacies have more treatment options available than ever before. This will allow our pharmacy teams to help patients navigate the hay fever season with as little disruption to their lives as possible. In addition to the long-established hay fever treatments, we now have a number of options previously only available on prescription. Through the free NHS Pharmacy First service, where appropriate pharmacists can now prescribe:
- Steroid Nasal sprays such as beclomethasone or mometasone. Mometasone has been previously only available on prescriptions
- Fexofenadine tablets only recently approved for over the counter sale and available on pharmacy first
- Olopatidine eye drops, previously only available on prescription
After a consultation, our pharmacists will work with our patients to customise treatment options to best suit their needs.
While hay fever continues to be an annual annoyance for many, armed with the correct knowledge and treatments, you can minimise its impact on your daily life. By taking proactive steps and seeking support from healthcare professionals, you can navigate the hay fever season with confidence and enjoy the beauty of the spring and summer seasons without itchy eyes or a runny nose holding you back! At Bannerman’s Pharmacy, we are well-equipped to help you tackle the hay fever season, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help you.
