With an estimated 13 million of us in the UK suffering from hay fever, leading GP Dr Roger Henderson identifies the common, and not so common, hay fever symptoms and how you can ease them at home.
Leading GP and Earex expert, Dr Roger Henderson has the following advice:
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, typically when it comes in to contact with the mouth, nose, eyes and throat.
Symptoms can vary but typically include sneezing and coughing, itchy eyes and ears, as well as a runny or blocked nose.
The body reacts to the allergen by producing histamine and often in excessive amounts which can lead to a number of symptoms if left untreated.
This includes ear irritation, itchy ears, a build-up of earwax causing them to become blocked, and in some cases it can cause ear pain.
It is almost impossible to avoid coming in to contact with pollen especially during the spring and summer months when flowers, grass and trees are blooming.
The number of symptoms experienced, and their severity will vary from person to person, but thankfully there are ways to ease the irritations without the need to visit your local GP or pharmacist.
– DO use petroleum jelly on the inside of your nostrils to prevent pollen from entering your nasal passages if you do go outside
– DON’T wear clothes you have worn outside inside your home. This will spread pollen throughout your home so try to always change in to clean clothes after being outside
– DO vacuum and dust with a damp cloth regularly not forgetting items such as curtains and cushions as pollen will often cling to fabrics in your home
– DON’T dry washing outside if the pollen count is high as your clean clothes and bedsheets will trap pollen bringing it in to your home
– DO consider using ear drops such as Earex Advance Ear Drops as it will help to gently soften earwax and prevent any build-up of hardened earwax
– DON’T use a cotton bud to clean your ears or deal with any itching as this will compact the wax creating a blockage. It will also remove any natural oils that will help to remove the wax and dehydrate the ear canal making it worse
– DO avoid drinking alcohol as it also contains histamine which will in turn aggravate your symptoms even more.