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Medicanet 
conditions and treatments
allergies
hay fever
Hay Fever Treatment |
Hay Fever TreatmentHay fever normally is only a seasonal nuisance rather than a life threatening condition and would subside on its own with time.
Steroid sprays are excellent decongestants that bring relief to blocked nostrils and for your nose.
Antihistamines are oral medications and nasal sprays which relieve itching, sneezing and runny nose, but might not ease dribble and congestion. The immune system releases an inflammatory chemical called histamine during an allergic reaction. The main job of antihistamine is to block this chemical! Antihistamines tablets are one of the most preferred treatments for hay fever.
A single tablet can ease the symptoms of nose, eyes and the ear and throat. Sprays and drops of any kind do not ensure this. The advantage of antihistamines is their flexibility as they could be discontinued, when you recover.
Some of the commonly used oral antihistamines, easily available at a chemist are diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and clemastine (Tavist).
These might cause sedation and hence is not recommended while driving or operating heavy machinery. Older antihistamines are cheaper and are available without prescription. However, it is better to go for the relatively safe, newer, low sedating ones.
Hay fever treatment in pregnant women requires special care. It has been proved that the older antihistamines though are mildly sedating, do not cause any harm to unborn babies.
Latest oral antihistamines — such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) and fexofenadine (Allegra) do not have sedation effects and are perfectly safe even for small children. The nasal spray azelastine (Astelin) is found to be efficient to control hay fever, but has a tendency to induce drowsiness.
Normally they start working within an hour; however some of the brands like acrivastine should be used three times daily for best results.
Decongestants are available in liquid, tablets and oral sprays and are normally used in combination with antihistamines. Oral decongestants, medicines containing pseudoephedrine, should not be used if you have high blood pressure as they might elevate pressure along with causing prostate enlargement.
Phenylephrine and oxymetazoline top the list of nasal decongestants. These are not recommended for prolonged use as it might cause rebound signs of congestion, when used longer. For extended use, Nasal corticosteroids are best as they do not have any side effects and are very effective even for complicated symptoms.
Beclomethasone (Beconase), fluticasone (Flonase), triamcinolone (Nasacort), budesonide (Rhinocort), flunisolide (Nasarel) are some of the examples.
Apart from medical treatment, there are some tried and tested home remedies for hay fever. Gargling with warm salt water, would soothe mild sore throat.
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