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Hay feverMost hay fever medicines are available to buy cheaply over the counter from your pharmacist or from supermarkets. Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group has advised that patients purchase hay fever medicines rather than have them prescribed by a GP. There are some exceptions:If you are pregnant or breast-feeding and have hay fever then discuss with your doctor or pharmacist.If you are under 18 yrsHay fever is very common. It affects about 2 in 10 people in the UK.Hay fever is caused by an allergy to pollen. Common hay fever symptoms are a runny, itchy and/or blocked nose, sneezing and itchy eyes. Common treatments are an antihistamine nasal spray, eye drops or medicine and/or a steroid nasal spray. Your pharmacist can advise you on how to take your medication, including what dose and how often. Read the leaflet that comes with your particular brand for further information.The commonly used hay fever treatment options are:Antihistamine nasal spraysAntihistamine tabletsSteroid nasal spraysEye drops.Antihistamine medicines such as loratadine and cetirizine may be used by children from the age of 2 and chlorphenamine from the age of 1.A steroid nasal spray usually works well to clear all the nasal symptoms (itch, sneezing, watering and congestion). It works by reducing inflammation in the nose. Steroid nasal drops are also sometimes used. These may be used from the age of 18.It takes several days for a steroid spray to build up its full effect. Therefore, there is no immediate relief of symptoms when you first start it. In some people it can take up to three weeks or longer to be fully effective. So do persevere. (It is best to start taking it a few weeks before the hay fever season is likely to begin if you know that you have hay fever.)A steroid nasal spray tends to be the most effective treatment when symptoms are more severe. It can also be used by adults in addition to antihistamines if symptoms are not fully controlled by either alone.You need to use the spray each day over the hay fever season to keep symptoms away. However, once symptoms have gone, the dose of a steroid spray can often be reduced to a low maintenance dose each day to keep symptoms away. There are several brands which you can buy at pharmacies, or get on prescription. Side-effects or problems with steroid nasal sprays are rare (read the packet leaflet for details).To reduce hayfever symptoms DOput Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollenwear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyesshower and change your clothes after you've been outside to wash pollen offstay indoors whenever possiblekeep windows and doors shut as much as possiblevacuum regularly and dust with a damp clothbuy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a special HEPA filterAVOID the followingcut grass or walk on grassspend too much time outsidekeep fresh flowers in the housesmoke or be around smoke – it makes your symptoms worsedry clothes outside – they can catch pollenlet pets into the house if possible – they can carry pollen indoorsReference: .? Accessed 1/5/18. ................
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