Health – Tired of hayfever?

We all know the typical symptoms of hayfever such as sneezing, blocked nose and itchy eyes. However, here is a list of surprising symptoms that might mean you have hayfever this spring. Along with a general toolbox to help fight your allergies, read on to find out the one thing that you can do at night to help alleviate your symptoms.

Did you know that exhaustion is a symptom of uncontrolled hayfever?  Allergies can keep you up at night and decrease your quality of sleep. There is also a phenomenon called “allergy fatigue syndrome” causing tiredness due to your body fighting off allergies all day long.

A foggy brain can also be caused by hayfever leading to difficulties with concentration. It is thought this might be due to blocked sinuses restricting the flow of oxygen to the brain.

Other surprising symptoms include an itchy tongue, unexplained headaches, loss of smell, a sore throat, achy joints, ear ringing, dizziness, rashes, snoring and dark circles under the eyes.

So what can you do if hayfever is affecting you this spring?

Corticosteriod nasal sprays are the gold standard of treatment for congestion caused by allergies. Start taking this early in the season (for example, one week prior) so that it has time to build up in your system. When the allergy season hits, consider also using a nasal irrigation product prior to using the nasal spray. Other treatments worth considering are non-sedating antihistamines.  Itchy eyes can be relieved with eye drops. However, be sure to ask the pharmacist which, as there are many different choices which may or may not suit.

The one thing you can do at night to help alleviate your hayfever symptoms is to take a shower before bed. This removes the pollen from your body as well as keeping your sheets clean by decreasing pollen transferred to your bed. It helps with nighttime congestion thereby improving sleep quality. Hot showers can also help to loosen up mucous. Consider washing your hair more frequently as well as cleaning your bedding regularly.

It’s World Pharmacist Day on September 25. Remember a good pharmacist is there to dispense your medication correctly. A great pharmacist will help you take care of your health, provide you with advice, assist you with management of your medication and a whole lot more. So join me in a big shout out to all the great pharmacists out there.