Hay fever is one of the UK’s most common allergies, and can easily ruin a patient’s day by bringing on itching, sneezing, coughing and headaches. Activated by certain pollen types, taking medication is the most effective way to ward off pesky symptoms of this widespread allergy. But there’s actually a few simple things you can easily do at home to stop hay fever from ruining your summer.
Earlier this week, Boots said there was a shortage of chlorphenamine maleate, the active ingredient in brands such as Piriton.
A Boots official said: “There are a very small number of lines that are currently out of stock due to a current, industry-wide shortage of the active ingredient.
“However, we are expecting this to be resolved soon and new deliveries are expected in the coming weeks.”
While the shortages are ongoing, President of The British Society for Allergy And Clinical Immunology Professor Adam Fox has offered his tips for battling your allergies by simply making changes to little everyday tasks.
Keep your pillowcases clean
Professor Fox advised making sure your pillowcases are kept fresh and clean as often as possible, as they can turn into a haven for pollen and other allergy activating substances.
He said: “If you’ve got your window open during the daytime to air out your bedroom, you could be inviting pollen in to spend the night too.
“Our eyes and nose are incredibly close to our pillowcases for a long period of time while we sleep and if these are covered in pollen, we could be making our allergies much worse.”
Take clothes off before entering the bedroom
Professor Fox advises stripping off before entering your bedroom, as bringing a day’s full of pollen will aggravate your allergies while you are resting and sleeping.
He said: “Pollen really clings to soft fabrics meaning if you’ve spent a full day outside, you’re likely to be carrying pollen inside which may aggravate you later.
“The best advice is to take clothes off before entering the bedroom.”
source:express