Pharmacist shares prime tricks to scale back hay fever signs as pollen bomb hits UK
George Sandhu, Deputy Superintendent Pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, stated: “Hay fever signs trigger absolute distress for hundreds of thousands of individuals.
“But the great news is that there are many issues that you are able to do to scale back their impression in your life.”
While antihistamines can be “actually useful”, one top tip is to put Vaseline inside your nose to trap pollen.
Another tip is to wear “wraparound sun shades whenever you’re exterior” – and to avoid “peak instances for pollen”, which are the mornings and evenings.
“If you’re struggling, dry your washing indoors for those who can,” Mr Sandu added.
“If you may keep indoors together with your doorways and home windows closed on days when the pollen depend is particularly excessive, all the higher, however this clearly might not be doable.”
Mr Sandhu advised people to “pop all the way down to see your local people pharmacist as quickly as you may” if you believe you could suffer really badly this weekend.
“They’ll have the ability to recommend issues – akin to antihistamines and sprays, to call only a couple – that would show you how to,” said Mr Sandhu.
Across England, the Met Office is predicting “very excessive” pollen counts across the weekend.
As such, those vulnerable to the allergen are best advised to follow Mr Sandhu’s top tips.
Seven tips to reduce hay fever symptoms:
- Use antihistamines
- Put Vaseline in your nostrils
- Wear wraparound glasses
- Avoid pollen peak times
- Dry your washing indoors
- Stay indoors when possible
- Speak to your local pharmacist.
The NHS says hay fever symptoms are usually worse when it’s “heat, humid and windy”.
Symptoms of hay fever can include:
- Sneezing and coughing
- A runny or blocked nose
- Itchy, red or watery eyes
- Itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
- Loss of smell
- Pain around your temples and forehead
- Headache
- Earache
- Feeling tired.
Additional tips to reduce hay fever symptoms include:
- Shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
- Keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
- Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
- Buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
Examples of what not to do include:
- Do not cut grass or walk on grass
- Do not spend too much time outside
- Do not keep fresh flowers in the house
- Do not smoke or be around smoke
- Do not dry clothes outside.
GPs have the authority to prescribe a steroid treatment if your symptoms are particularly bad.
“If steroids and different hay fever remedies don’t work, your GP could refer you for immunotherapy,” the NHS provides.