What are the conventional hay fever and pollen allergy treatments?
The best way to treat hay fever is to identify the allergic substance and avoid it, but in most cases it is easier said than done. Here are several commonly applied treatments for hay fever. • Anti-histamines This is the most popular drug used to fight hay fever. Its most marked side effect is drowsiness. • Steroids These are often prescribed to patients in the form of nasal sprays as tablets have too many dangerous side effects. The main problem with steroids is that they usually take several weeks to provide hay fever relief. • Eye drops – There are usually two types of eye drops – a) a simple lubricant to help with dry eyes b) a drug, which stabilises the immune cells. Eye drops too have little effect once the symptoms have started. • Desensitisation treatment – These types of treatments are mostly reserved for people with severe allergies. It is not suitable for most people and carries risks.
