Hay Fever: Why Starting Early Beats Chasing It

The most common thing people tell us about hay fever is that their antihistamine is not working. Usually it is working exactly as well as it can, having been started a fortnight after the point at which it would have helped most.

Why timing changes the outcome

Allergic inflammation builds. Once the lining of your nose and eyes is thoroughly inflamed, a tablet is working against something already well established rather than heading it off. Starting before your usual season, and taking it regularly rather than only on bad days, is the single change that makes the most difference for most people.

If you know your symptoms tend to start in late April, that is when to begin, not in the second week of May when you have already had a rotten weekend.

Which pollen, and when

Tree pollen tends to come first in spring, grass pollen through early summer, and weed pollen later. Grass affects the largest number of people and lingers well into August in Scotland. If you can work out which season is yours, you can time treatment properly rather than medicating from March to September.

When a tablet alone is not enough

A steroid nasal spray is more effective than an antihistamine for a blocked, streaming nose, and it is underused, largely because it also needs a few days of regular use before it does much. Technique matters more than people expect, and using it badly is a common reason for concluding it does not work. Ask us to show you.

Eye drops help where the eyes are the worst of it. Combination treatments exist for people who need both, and a pharmacist can advise which is suitable for you.

City living does not spare you

It is a common assumption that being in the middle of town means less pollen. Grass pollen travels a long way, the Meadows and the parks are close, and traffic pollution can make symptoms worse rather than better. Living centrally is not protective.

When it is worth testing

If your symptoms do not follow a season, or persist year-round, pollen may not be the whole story. House dust mite, mould spores and animal dander all produce similar symptoms and do not come and go with the weather. Allergy testing can tell you what you are actually reacting to, which changes what is worth doing about it.

Come and ask before you buy something else to add to the pile. Often the answer is not another product but starting the one you already have earlier, and using it properly.