Tree pollen hay fever season is starting.

As we enter March, the tree pollen hay fever season begins and are the main cause of symptoms. In the UK it is birch pollen. The most common hay fever symptoms are runny, itchy and blocked nose, but also itchy, red eyes.

Things you can do to help:

1. When you come inside in the evening have a shower to wash off the pollen and change your clothes.

2. Close your windows as pollen levels are greatest at dusk & dawn.

3. Try avoid leaving washing outside to dry (they will collect pollen).

4. Use a barrier cream like Vaseline in your nostrils to stop some of the pollens entering.

5. Use wrap around sun glasses.

There are lots of safe medicines that can help. Ideally start them 2 weeks before your hay fever season starts. They work well together (i.e combining an oral antihistamine with a nasal steroid spray)

Antihistamines: Stick to the non-sedating antihistamines (Cetirizine, Loratidine and Fexofenadine). They are very good for runny, itchy symptoms but not so good for blocked nose symptoms. In children, I often recommend giving one dose in the morning and another in the evening (so double the dose-especially if symptoms are bad). Please avoid using sedating antihistamines such as Chlorpheniramine (Piriton).

Nasal Sprays: Nasal steroid sprays are very good for itchy, runny and blocked nose symptoms and are very safe to use for the whole season. Hardly any gets absorbed by the body and they just work locally to help symptoms. In children I recommend Fluticasone or Mometasone nasal sprays as very little is absorbed by the body and they work locally. Use them with the correct technique- see  https://www.itchysneezywheezy.co.uk. Adults and children >12 years old can buy them over the counter and in children <12 years they need to be prescribed by a healthcare professional. If you don’t like sprays try Avamys from your GP which sprays more of a mist and often very well tolerated in children.

Eye drops: Sodium Chromoglycate eye drops do help. If not you could ask your GP to prescribe Olopatidine eye drops.

If your symptoms are still a problem despite this, then pollen desensitisation is an option in specialist clinics. Avoid steroid (Kenalog) injections due to safety concerns and they are not recommended. You are exposed to all the potential side effects of steroids.

Have a great spring & summer!