Friday, 19 April 2013

Treating Hay Fever

Hay fever is a condition which affects many people, particularly in the spring and summer months. The condition is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways and affects people on different levels, some mildly and some very strongly. The condition can be treated with various methods so that those who have it aren't affected by it to a debilitating extent.

Hay fever is a very common affliction which many people learn to cope with in their day to day lives. The condition is caused by an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways when pollen or other allergens are inhaled. Those with a sensitised immune system are affected by the condition as the allergen then triggers the production of antibody immunoglobulin. This causes stimulation and the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine.

Sufferers of hay fever will encounter symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, swollen nasal passages and more. The symptoms differ for everyone with some people being afflicted to a higher level than others. Hives or rashes can also appear in particularly sensitive individuals. The condition can also be aggravated by polluted air in cities.

Some people are predisposed to hay fever as it can be hereditary though other people can have an onset later in life because of environmental exposures. There are many treatments for hay fever so that people do not have to be too adversely affected by it in their day to day lives.

Hay fever treatment often includes the use of steroids in order to reduce nasal inflammation. These often come in the form of nasal sprays which are effective and safe to use. Other people use oral antihistamines for hay fever treatment and these can be bought over the counter in shops. There are other methods such as using decongestants, nasal irrigation and cromolyn. Sometimes these treatments can cause drowsiness if they are strong but many have been tailored so that they do not affect performance.