About one in five Australians suffers from hay fever and while for some people the symptoms only appear on occasion , for others they are persistent, severe and can disrupt sleep, concentration and daily life. Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, causes many irritating symptoms including:
● runny nose
● itchy eyes
● Congestion
● sneezing
● sinus pressure
But unlike a cold, hay fever isn't caused by a virus. Hay fever is caused by an allergic response to a harmless outdoor or indoor substance the body identifies as harmful. The most common allergens include pollen and dust, along with cat and dog fur. For many people, spring allergies have a highly adverse effect on their lives and they may even find themselves needing to stay home from work or school.
If this is the case, they might also need a medical certificate and when in a severe allergy attack, leaving your home out into a world full of pollen and dust can just make it worse. In this instance it may be beneficial to acquire a doctors certificate online.
What causes hay fever?
When your nose or eyes come into contact with microscopic allergens such as those mentioned earlier, your immune system incorrectly believes that these substances are harmful to you and produces antibodies to fight them. This causes your body to attempt to dispel them from your body, through sneezing, runny nose and even crying. In spring the allergens can be from the wind borne pollen of plants like some types of grass, meaning that for hayfever sufferers, even going outdoors during this time can be difficult.
How to reduce or manage hay fever symptoms
There is no cure for hayfever as of yet, but there are several ways that you can treat its symptoms or avoid the allergens altogether.
Antihistamines: Medication usually found in tablet form that can be bought over the counter at most chemists. These are really good at controlling symptoms like sneezing, itching, runny nose, but they aren’t likely to help with headaches or sleep issues associated with the allergy. They also sometimes take time before they start working.
Topical corticosteroid nasal spray: General recommended to those who have symptoms more than four days a week during the spring. They are much better at handling congenital problems and are faster acting than antihistamines. Most nasal sprays can also be bought over the counter, but if you need something stronger they are prescription strength options available.
You can also protect yourself from the allergens all together by following these steps.
● On windy days in spring, stay indoors as much as possible and avoid going out during or just after thunderstorms when pollen is agitated. You are likely to feel much worse on these days and may need to get a doctor’s certificate online in order to take time off without going outside.
● Rinse your eyes regularly with cold water to flush away pollen.
● Monitor the daily pollen count and forecast, so you know if it’s a high pollen day and stay indoors on those days.
● A salt water nasal spray can also help flush out pollens.
So if you suffer from hayfever in the months of spring. Be sure to follow these steps and take good care of yourself. If you are unable to leave your home due to symptoms caused by high pollen days, you can always obtain and online medical certificate in Australia to avoid the need for travel outdoors when you are already unwell.
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