z health
Summertime (and the living is sneezy) The warmer weather can bring pollen-based misery, but Dr Matt Piccaver has some solutions D
isease, almost regardless of cause, seems to obey a pattern. The cold winter is slowly ebbing away, only to be replaced by spring. A
time of renewal, growth and for many of us, pollen based misery. The older I get, the more I seem to suffer from hayfever. Fooling myself into thinking I have “a cold”, the inability to breathe through my nose seems to last till September, only to be replaced by a cold proper.
Early spring sees the arrival of tree pollen, settling by August. Grasses are problematic through most of summer and spring, oilseed rape in May, and many common weeds from May to July. Many of us will be all too familiar with the symptoms. Itchy eyes, blocked or runny nose and sneezing can make the summer months a misery. I’ve met people truly desperate for a cure. How can something as ubiquitous as pollen cause us to feel unwell? Over time, the lining of our nose becomes sensitive, not just to pollen, but also to house dust mites, animal fur, or occupational dusts such as sawdust. Referred to as allergens, they elicit an inflammatory response in the lining of the nose. A defence against
something regarded by the immune system as foreign, symptoms develop. Most of us will only be mildly affected, and can be easily treated with a simple “over-the-counter” antihistamine medication. Your local pharmacist will be able to tell you more. Some antihistamines can be sedating, and in
Many of us will be all too familiar with the symptoms. Itchy eyes, blocked or runny nose and sneezing can make the summer months a misery.
general we would avoid these. For the more severely affected, a visit to your GP may be needed. We may suggest adding a type of nasal spray called an inhaled corticosteroid. These act by reducing the inflammation in the nose. Be advised that they may take several weeks to take full effect. One of the commonest reasons a treatment may not work is that the medication hasn’t been given enough time to do its job. For the very severely affected, we might even go as far as giving steroid tablets. These are powerful
treatments, and not without side effects. Avoiding the cause may help. Refrain from walking in very grassy areas when pollen counts are highest. For house dust mite allergy, this might mean changing carpets to wooden floors, washing bedding weekly at high temperatures, or fitting dust proof covers to pillows and duvets. For occupational causes of rhinitis, measures such as dust masks and good ventilation may help reduce exposure. For those allergic to their pets (or more accurately animal dander), difficult decisions may have to be made. The vast majority of us will respond to the simple measures above. For some, we may need more specialised advice. Skin prick or patch tests can be carried out, often under the care of an allergy specialist.
For most of us, hope lies in a simple antihistamine, nasal spray and a box of tissues. Simple treatments such as these will hopefully make life more bearable over the summer months.
n Dr Matt Piccaver is a GP in Glemsford, West Suffolk. He is a passionate advocate for the patient, and a firm believer that no one has the monopoly on knowledge.
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