Why does my hay fever seem worse this year and how can I treat it?
Don't miss a thing by getting the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) says it could be down to a mixture of a high pollen count and the amount of time spent indoors during the coronavirus pandemic causing a fall in pollen tolerance. Thorrun Govind, community pharmacist and Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Board in England, said: I've definitely had more people asking about hay fever this year, though it may be as we are out and about more due to some of the restrictions on socialising inside". Consultant respiratory pharmacist at the University of Leicester, Anna Murphy, suggests that the thunderstorms, especially in the south of England, could also be to blame for stirring up pollen. With many people experiencing more potent hay fever symptoms this year, the RPS has shared its top tips for those struggling:  1) Treat the nose first  The first step in alleviating hay fever symptoms is to make sure you continue breathing through your nose. A lot of people will breathe through their mouth when they are struggling  but that bypasses our own natural filtering system, said Anna Murphy, who specialises in asthma and allergies. It is really important to breathe through the nose because that filters and prevents a lot of the pollen from causing issues within the body.  One way of treating the nose is to use nasal sprays, advises the RPS. Seek out a steroid nasal spray, rather than the common decongestant nasal spray, found in local supermarkets and pharmacies. Steroid nasal sprays help to reduce inflammation in the nose, whilst the common decongestant nasal sprays can quickly become ineffective. However, it is important to use a nasal spray correctly, spraying instead of sniffing. Steroid nasal sprays take time to build up a barrier, so it is important to use regularly, and start using before symptoms come on in summer. You can view a video on proper nasal spray usage on the Asthma UK website . Community pharmacist Thorrun Govind also suggests putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen. 2) Consider eye drops or tablets  As well as nasal sprays, eye drops are an option to help with itchy, red or watery eyes, advises the RPS. The most common response to hay fever is to medicate with tablets, such as Cetirizine or Loratadine. Chlorpheniramine, which many people may know as 'Piriton' is another option, however it can cause drowsiness and doesn't have the same benefit of once a day dosing, added pharmacist Thorrun. Chlorpheniramine can only be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy, and it is always important to check that it is compatible with other medications you may be taking. 3) Limit contact with pollen  As well as speaking to your local pharmacist or GP about medication options, you can help to limit the severity of your hay fever by staying indoors whenever possible, keeping windows and doors shut, vacuuming your house regularly and dusting with a damp cloth. However, given the last 18 months, the RPS says it would be unfair to suggest hay fever sufferers have to stay inside when the sun shines down once more. So, if you do go outside, make sure to wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes, and shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off. 4) Be aware of the side effects of the Kenalog injection  One option is the hay fever injection  a dose of Kenalog that suppresses the body's immune response to histamines. However, the intramuscular steroid found in Kenalog has side effects, including sleep problems, mood swings and headaches, and is not recommended by specialist Anna. Kenalog has been around for years and we have tried really hard to stop GPs prescribing it for hay fever because it has associated side effects with it, and it is given as a one off injection but its like using a sledgehammer to hit a nut, really, Anna says. I think people see it as an easy option, but the risk and the side effects of the intramuscular steroid cannot be ignored.  More information about hay fever can be found on the NHS website.