Spring has Sprung!

The days are getting longer, the sun is getting warmer. While some of us are rejoicing in the welcome change from the winter chill; 1 in every 5 are suffering from itchy/stuffy noses, watery, red and itchy eyes – commonly known as hay fever.

Are you suffering?

Hay fever (or correctly called seasonal allergic rhinitis) is an allergic reaction to pollen (fine grains produced by trees, grasses, flowers and plants), dust mite, animal fur and moulds. If these allergens get into the sinuses, nose, eyes or throat, it can cause an inflammatory response leading to:

  • a runny or blocked nose,
  • sore and itchy eyes
  • itchy throat, mouth, ears and nose
  • a cough or an exacerbation of asthma (Around 8 in 10 people with asthma have allergic rhinitis, making asthma more difficult to control).
  • Blocked sinuses can also lead to headaches, earache, fatigue, poor quality sleep, a sore face and if severe enough an infection.

Tips for Reducing Pollen Exposure

  1. Stay indoors until after midday (if possible to reduce your exposure to pollen, particularly during the pollen season and on windy days.
  2. Try to avoid going out on windy days or after thunderstorms.
  3. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.
  4. Do not mow the grass and stay inside when it is being mown. If mowing is unavoidable, wear a mask or consider taking a non-drowsy antihistamine if your doctor has suggested this.
  5. Consider planting a low allergen garden around the home.
  6. Keep windows closed both at home and particularly when in your car (and where possible use recirculating air conditioning in your car).
  7. Do not picnic in parks or outdoors during the pollen season.
  8. Try to plan your holidays out of the pollen season or holiday at the seaside.
  9. If you are sensitive to particular weeds or trees that are outside your bedroom window, have them removed.
  10. If landscaping at home, research plants less likely to trigger allergic rhinitis or asthma.
  11. Shower when you arrive home and rinse your eyes frequently with water.
  12. Reduce your exposure to dust and dust mites, animals and animal hair or fur (dander).
  13. Carry a supply of tissues.

Effective Treatments Are Available

Seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor about medications or treatments that will relieve your symptoms. Although medications do not cure allergies, they are much more effective with fewer side effects than medications available 20 years ago. You just need to know the best way to use them, and to avoid medicines that can cause more problems than they solve, like frequent decongestant (unblocking) nose sprays or tablets.

  • Antihistamine tablets or syrups (non-sedating) help to reduce symptoms (sneezing, itchy and irritating eyes), but they are not as effective in controlling severe nasal blockage and dribble. The advantage of antihistamines is their flexibility; you can take them when you have problems, and avoid them when you are well. Antihistamine eye drops can also be helpful in controlling watery eyes due to allergies.
  • Intranasal corticosteroid nasal sprays (INCS) have a potent action on inflammation when used regularly (like asthma preventer medications). These need to be used regularly and with careful attention to the way in which they are used. Different brands of INCS vary in strength and effectiveness, so it is important to read the labels and check details with your doctor or pharmacist.
  • Combination medications containing an antihistamine and intranasal corticosteroid nasal spray are available and offer the combined advantages of both medications.
  • Decongestant sprays unblock and dry the nose, but should not be used for more than a few days as they can cause long-term problems in the nose.
  • Decongestant tablets unblock and dry the nose, but should be used with caution as they can have ‘stimulant’ side effects like tremors, trouble sleeping, anxiety or an increase in blood pressure. People with high blood pressure should not take this medication.
  • Combination medications containing an antihistamine and decongestant are also available, but these need to be used with caution as the decongestants can cause many side effects.
  • Natural products such as salt water nasal sprays or sinus irrigation/nasal toilets can be effective in relieving symptoms.
  • Appropriate management of ‘pollen asthma’ includes commencing anti-inflammatory asthma medication either preventatively or with the first ‘wheeze’ of Spring. Some patients undergoing allergen immunotherapy for their allergic rhinitis find that their seasonal asthma improves as well.

There is no known cure for hay fever. Although it can disappear as you get older – equally, people who have never had hay fever before can also develop it later in life.

Talking with your pharmacist, and understanding how treatments work, and how to best avoid pollens, can help give you a better quality of life and keep your allergic rhinitis well controlled. Sometimes, however, symptoms may worsen, and follow up with your GP would be recommended.

Coughs, Colds and Sore Throats

Many of us overestimate the power of antibiotics, and unfortunately the overuse of these medicines over time has lead to more harm than good. Studies have shown that antibiotics have little to no effect on coughs or colds, and can cause side-effects.

Confusion about the benefit of antibiotics can lead to inappropriate use, which in turn contributes to the global problem of antibiotic resistance.

Being sick can make us all feel incredibly miserable, and can leave parents and carers of children feeling very worried and concerned. Coughs, colds, sore throats and earaches can leave anyone feeling terrible. But there are things you can do to help.

Colds are very common and are caused by viruses that are easily passed from person to person. Symptoms may include: sneezing, blocked or runny nose, sore throat, cough, low grade fever (38° C to 38.5° C), headache, and tiredness. A healthy child can sometimes have 8 or more colds in a year.

Some people and doctors have long believed that the colour of snot or phlegm indicated the type or seriousness of an infection. Research suggests that this is not the case, and even a cold with green snot or phlegm does not need to be treated with antibiotics.

It can be normal for cold symptoms to last on average 5-15 days.

What can we do to feel better?

It’s important for everyone to understand that colds and most coughs, earaches, sore throats and other common symptoms caused by respiratory tract infections will improve without antibiotics. We can then ensure the power of these medications remains for when they are genuinely required and appropriate.

There is no cure for the cold, but there are plenty of things you can do to help relieve your symptoms.

  • Rest and keep well hydrated – It’s one of the first pieces of advice you get when you’re sick, but we can never stress it enough: give your body time to fight off the virus, and don’t waste that energy elsewhere. Very little hard research has been done on the link between fluid intake and alleviating cold symptoms, but it’s long been one of the first pieces of advice given to cold sufferers. Drinking lots of fluids during a cold can help to break up your congestion, keep you hydrated and keep your throat moist.
  • Gargle with warm salty water – This can help prevent upper respiratory infections. It may also decrease the severity of cold symptoms. For example, it may ease sore throat pain and nasal congestion. Gargling with salt water reduces and loosens mucus, which contains bacteria and allergens. To try this remedy at home, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a full glass of water. Swish it around your mouth and throat, then spit it out.
  • Take some probiotics – Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria and yeast that are found in your body, some foods, and supplements. They can help keep your gut and immune system healthy, and research suggests that probiotics may reduce your chance of getting sick with an upper respiratory infection. There is a specialised form of probiotic called BLIS K12, which is like a roving immune squad, firing away at the “bad” bacteria that cause many types of ear-nose-throat infections as well as oral health ailments such as bad breath, gum disease and plaque formation.
  • Zinc, echinacea and vitamin C – These are three natural substances often marketed as alternative medicine methods to treat the common cold. Echinacea is an herb, zinc a trace mineral and vitamin C is a type of water soluble vitamin. While you need zinc and vitamin C from your diet each day for several functions, echinacea is not an essential part of your diet. These substances have been shown to help reduce the severity of symptoms and reduce the impact of a cold on your daily life. They can help relieve A cough, sore throat, runny nose and sneezing.
  • Vapour rub – You might not like the smell, but some old-fashioned topical ointments, such as vapor rub, appear to reduce cold symptoms in children older than 2 years. Just one or two applications before bed can help open air passages to combat congestion, reduce coughing, and improve sleep.
  • Humidity – Influenza thrives and spreads more easily in dry environments. Creating more humidity in your home may reduce your exposure to this flu-causing virus. Increased humidity may also reduce nasal inflammation, making it easier to breathe when you’re sick.

If you want to increase the odds of avoiding a cold altogether this year you should proactively boost your immune system – to function well it requires balance and harmony. The best thing you can do is to lead a healthy lifestyle by not smoking, eating fresh fruit and vegetables, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your blood pressure, limiting alcohol and ensuring adequate rest.

Chapman & Wood