Hay Fever/Allergic Rhinitis
Hay fever is a type of seasonal respiratory allergy to pollens from flowers,
trees, and grasses, or to molds
Symptoms:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Itching, tearing, redness in eyes
- Sometimes the runny nose may result in post-nasal drip and cough
Treatment
The best treatment for allergies is to avoid whatever you are allergic to; keep windows closed, use air conditioning when possible, avoid dust and pets. Because this is not always possible, here are some alternatives that are available without a prescription:
- Antihistaminesl- These medications help stop runny noses and itching. Examples
of inexpensive preparations are chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, 4,
8, and 12 mg) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl). They may cause drowsiness
and should not be taken with sedatives or alcohol
- Loratadine (sold as Claritin, Alavert, Alerclear, or the generic loratadine,
etc), is a non-sedating antihistamine. It is more expensive, but
is much less likely to make you tired
- Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)) is a decongestant, not an antihistamine.
It can help with nasal congestion or sinus pressure. Decongestant
nose sprays (i.e. Afrin) can be very effective for severe congestion,
but should only be used for up to three days, as beyond that it will
make the symptoms worse
- Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray that helps prevent the body's reaction
to allergens. Cromolyn sodium is more helpful if you use it before
you're exposed to allergens. This medicine may take 2 to 4 weeks to start
working
- Eye symptoms may respond to antihistamine-decongestant drops such
as Opcon-A, Naphcon-A, Occuhist
- If you do not respond to the above treatments, make an appointment at
Vaden for prescription alternatives
- More on allergies at FamilyDoctor.org