Page 28 - link magazine

28 The Link Magazine • May 2000
Hayfever - nothing to do with hay and no fever
Dr Adele Steptoe of Ashington House Surgery writes
Spring is here. The blossom is out. For one in five people the first symptoms of hayfever have started: sneezing, runny or blocked nose,
watery and itchy eyes, tiredness and irritability. Sounds familiar? It will be to many people as the number treated has risen by four hundred
per cent in 20 years.
Why me? The tendency is inher- house dust mite, smoke, or animal lets counteract the effect of hista- amounts of corticosteriod suppress
ited, often along with eczema and fur, will make it worse. mine, controlling most symptoms, the allergic response controlling
asthma. Hayfever sufferers have The recommendations are: stay but are not always the most effec- the nasal symptoms well. They
an allergy to pollen. Pollen arriv- in, close the windows, stop smok- tive for nasal congestion. The must be used daily to get the ben-
ing in the sensitized nose causes ing, put the dog out, avoid newer anti-histamines are unlikely efit as they do not work instantly.
the release of chemicals including pollutions and vacuum non-stop. to cause the drowsiness associated Sodium cromoglycate - com-
histamine which leads to the fa- There are treatments to control with the older ones. monly used as eye drops - block
miliar symptoms. the symptoms. Anti-histamine tab- Nose sprays containing tiny the reaction between pollen and
Those affected in early spring the body preventing the formation
are most sensitive to tree pollen. Detection equipment donated of histamine. Many people use all
More commonly things hit a peak three treatments.
June to mid-July due to grass pol- Doctors at Ashington Way Surgery in Westlea are now better placed Decongestants may give instant
len. Flowers and fungal spores are to detect heart disease amongst patients, thanks to a donation of a relief but should only be used for 3
responsible later on. Colourful or Electro Cardio Graph (ECG) machine costing £2,800. to 5 days and can cause rebound
fragrant flowers rarely cause al- The local branch of the British Heart Foun- congestion when they wear off.
lergy because their pollens are too dation contributed £2,500 with the practice Desensitization injections are out
heavy to become airbourne. So making up th balance for the portable equip- of favour as very serious reactions
that yellow oilseed rape is not to ment which monitors heart condition and have occurred.
blame after all. helps diagnose potential and real problems. Treatment is most effective if
The effect of sunlight on pollu- Nurse Margaret Randell said patients will started before the onset of symp-
tion causes a massive increase in now be better served. "The new monitor will toms. All these are available from
ozone - a powerful sensitizer. So save a lot of time in providing unconfirmed your chemist. If you had prescrip-
you are more likely to react on a diagnosis and speeding up treatment of heart tion treatment last year call your
sunny day in the city than in the problems." surgery for a repeat script now - an
country. Mould spores might still Roger Hilton of the British Heart Foundation appointment is not always neces-
get you on a wet day and the com- ^^ t hands over the new ECG machine to Margaret sary.
bination of other irritants such as 1 Randell and Dr Robert Nixon Enjoy a long hot summer

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