Allergies and hay fever: tips and tricks to relieve symptoms.

Learn all about allergies and hay fever, including tips for symptom relief and medication options.

Here it is again- allergy season or hay fever season. Many people suffer from allergies and often hay fever. This causes unpleasant allergic symptoms such as itchy or watery eyes, sneezing or runny noses. Here you can find out what general tips & tricks there are to get through the hay fever season better and also what medication options there are.

What is an allergy anyway?

An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a certain substance that is normally harmless. This substance is called an allergen and can be found in the air, food, medications or other sources. The immune system mistakenly identifies the allergen as a threat and triggers a reaction to fight it. This reaction can vary in severity, ranging from mild symptoms like a rash or itching to severe life-threatening conditions like anaphylaxis.

Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common allergic condition triggered by the body's reaction to pollen from grasses, trees or herbs. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, itching in the nose and eyes, and watery eyes. Hay fever usually occurs seasonally when the concentration of pollen in the air is highest.

General tips and tricks for alleviating allergic symptoms:

To keep the allergic symptoms of hay fever down, it is most important to avoid the pollen as much as possible or at least keep the pollen count low. There are some general tips & tricks for this:

Find out which pollen you are allergic to. This works with special allergy tests at the doctor. With this knowledge, you can use a pollen calendar to see when the specific pollens fly the most in order to take precautionary measures.
Ventilate properly. One should ventilate at the right time so that as little pollen as possible enters the apartment or house. In the countryside, it is best to ventilate in the evening, and in the city it is best to ventilate in the morning, as the pollen concentration in the air is lowest there. Alternatively, you can install special pollen screens on the window. For the ventilation in the car, special pollen filters can also be installed. Then it would only be necessary to make sure that no windows are opened while driving.
Clean air. It is also recommended to install air purifiers or air filters to improve air quality and reduce pollen pollution.
Clean the home regularly: regular vacuuming or mopping helps reduce pollen levels in the home. There are also special pollen filters for vacuum cleaners, so keep them contained as much as possible. Also, wash your bedding and clothing regularly to reduce pollen exposure in your home.
Do not dry laundry outside. It is best to dry laundry indoors. Outside, pollen could get on freshly laundered clothing.
Do not store clothes already worn outside or the laundry basket in the bedroom. This reduces the inhalation of pollen at night.
Shower before going to bed. Washing shortly before going to bed helps to wash off the pollen on the body. It is also recommended to take a nasal shower to clear the sinuses of any pollen that may be present. In addition, the window in the bedroom should remain closed at night. This reduces the pollen load at night.

If these tips and tricks do not help enough to relieve the symptoms, medication can be tried.

Medicines against hay fever

There are several therapeutic options and medications that can be used for allergies. The choice of therapy depends on the type and severity of the allergy, as well as other factors such as the patient's age and state of health. A physician should always be contacted for diagnosis and clarification of severe symptoms. The physician may also prescribe prescription therapy such as hyposensitization, cortisone in tablet, nasal spray or inhalant form, or emergency medication for anaphylcactic reactions. However, we'll go into more detail about non-prescription medications here.

Here are some of the most common options:

Antihistamines: Antihistamines are medications that block the action of histamine, which is released during allergic reactions. Antihistamines can help with allergic rhinitis, itching, and hives. There are many over-the-counter antihistamines such as cetirizine, levocetirizine, loratadine, desloratadine, dimentinden, and bilastine. The tablets are usually taken once a day. Dimentinden, cetirizine and loratadine can make you tired, so it is recommended to take the tablets in the evening shortly before sleeping. However, there is also the possibility to use nasal spray or eye drops specifically. Active ingredients such as azelastine or levocabastine are used for this purpose. Here is a small selection of different medications:

Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids or cortisones are anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic drugs that can be used for more severe allergy symptoms such as allergic rhinitis. Before use, these medications should first be recommended by your doctor. They can be used as a nasal spray. The active ingredient contained is mometasone. Here are some examples of medications:
- MOMETAHEXAL Heuschnupfenspray
- MOMETASON-ratiopharm Heuschnupfenspray
Mast cell stabilizers: Mast cell stabilizers are drugs that prevent mast cells (the cells that release histamine) from releasing histamine upon contact with an allergen. Mast cell stabilizers can be used to treat allergies. An example of a mast cell stabilizer is cromoglicic acid. The drug is available as eye drops or nasal spray. Here are a few drug examples:
- VIVIDRIN iso antiallergische Augentropfen
- CROMO-RATIOPHARM Nasenspray