EXCLUSIVE: One of many UK’s main allergy consultants has supplied skilled steering on easy methods to successfully handle hay fever.
Pollen counts are highest at daybreak and nightfall, the professional stated (Picture: Getty)
If it appears like nothing is working on your hay fever regardless of doing all the pieces proper, you’re not alone. For individuals with extra extreme hay fever, signs can persist even after they’re frequently utilizing antihistamines and nasal sprays as really useful. Round 20% of UK adults are affected by hay fever making it some of the widespread allergy symptoms. Nevertheless, most individuals are unaware that assist exists past customary over-the-counter cures.
Hundreds of thousands of victims at the moment are being urged to look past these customary remedies, as consultants spotlight a lesser-known possibility that would considerably scale back signs over the long run. Professor Adam Fox OBE, a professor of paediatric allergy and a number one voice throughout the allergy group informed the Each day Specific that desensitisation remedy also called immunotherapy might be ‘life-changing’ for these with extreme signs.
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The allergy professional really useful utilizing saltwater nasal sprays (Picture: Getty)
He’s a Professor of Paediatric Allergy at Man’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals and King’s School London. In June 2025, Professor Fox was awarded an OBE within the King’s Birthday Honours in recognition of his contribution to paediatric allergy, and was named amongst Tatler’s prime UK docs for 2026 in November 2025.
Professor Fox informed the Specific: “The primary factor that individuals do not find out about is that should you’ve tried all of the nasal sprays and the antihistamines, there may be assist above and past that.”
Immunotherapy works by regularly coaching the immune system to tolerate pollen. Whereas it beforehand required common injections, now remedies contain tablets being positioned beneath the tongue containing small quantities of the allergen.
He defined: “These are remedies that truly can be found via the NHS, though they are often laborious to entry via the NHS, however they’re totally licensed remedies.
Timing, nevertheless, is essential.
“It wants to start out just a few months earlier than the season begins. It isn’t a fast repair. It isn’t one thing that should you’re struggling, you possibly can then get reduction from. It is one thing the place you should be a bit organised and ready, and begin just a few months upfront.”
However for many who have actually dangerous hay fever, signs can stay an issue regardless of utilizing nasal sprays and antihistamines as really useful by consultants, and in these instances, this remedy could make an “monumental distinction.”
Though these remedies are totally licensed and accessible on the NHS, entry stays restricted, Professor Fox stated.
“Within the UK, for each one that will get desensitised, tons of do in international locations like Germany.”
“In comparison with different elements of the world, we’re pathetically behind.”
The allergy professional additionally defined easy methods to differentiate hay fever from a typical chilly. The important thing distinction, he defined, is fever.
“You by no means get a temperature with an allergy however you are prone to get a temperature with an an infection.”
In the event you’re experiencing a fever, it’s unlikely to be hay fever whereas signs that primarily have an effect on the nostril and eyes are extra typical of an allergy.
One other helpful clue is how your physique responds to antihistamines. They received’t relieve a chilly, however they will help with allergic reactions. In the event you’re not sure, making an attempt antihistamines might due to this fact supply some steering and in case your signs enhance, it was probably an allergy. If there’s no change, an an infection is the extra possible trigger.
Professor Fox stated that hay fever can begin at any age but when it begins in early childhood, that is a “sturdy predictor” that it may be “persistent and troublesome.”
When you’ll discover plenty of noise and ranging way of life ideas on-line, the professor has shared his professional {and professional} recommendation.
- Wash your hair earlier than mattress to keep away from transferring pollen to your pillow
- Keep away from drying garments exterior throughout excessive pollen days
- Use saltwater nasal sprays to clear allergens
- Over-the-counter eyedrops
- Apply a small quantity of petroleum jelly across the nostril to lure pollen
- Monitor pollen forecasts utilizing apps
Timing your day may also assist. “Pollen counts are highest at daybreak and nightfall,” he defined.
The following tips, nevertheless, are solely going to assist take care of milder signs.
Professor Fox stated: “All of these issues are going to assist, however they’re solely going to take care of milder signs. In the event you’ve bought extra extreme signs, then the fitting medicines to get are long-acting, non-sleepy antihistamines, and that is distinct from the short-acting, sedating antihistamines, which regularly get really useful, however do not assist very a lot.”
Meaning selecting one thing like Cetirizine moderately than sedating choices comparable to chlorphenamine (Piriton, Allerief, Pollenase), he stated.
“And if that is not doing the job, then you should utilize a steroid nasal spray, which you may get over-the-counter for adults, however not for teenagers. They’re actually useful.
“If the mix of a daily nasal spray and the antihistamines aren’t doing the job, then you ought to be talking to your physician and asking to see if you may get referred for desensitisation.”
Past sneezing and itchy eyes, hay fever can have wider results on day by day life. Analysis reveals youngsters with hay fever are 50% extra prone to drop a grade between mock exams and summer time exams, which fall throughout peak pollen season.
Charges of hay fever have risen over the previous few a long time and there may be good proof that local weather change is resulting in larger pollen peaks, longer pollen seasons, and a wider geographical unfold of pollen so that you’re extra prone to be affected, the professional stated.
The warning comes forward of Allergy Consciousness Week beginning on April 20 alongside the parliamentary launch of the Nationwide Allergy Technique. The UK’s first Nationwide Allergy Technique shall be launched in Westminster by the Nationwide Allergy Technique Group (NASG), an alliance of allergy skilled organisations and affected person charities which embody Allergy UK, the Natasha Allergy Analysis Basis, Anaphylaxis UK, and the British Society for Allergy and Terminology.
Professor Fox stated: “There may be coordinated work occurring from nationwide allergy charities to get higher accessibility for individuals who have extreme hay fever to get entry to those life altering desensitisation remedies.”
In contrast with different elements of the world, the UK is considerably behind in making these remedies extensively accessible.
The group is asking for a nationwide, coordinated method to allergy care, warning that repeated stories from skilled our bodies and the All-Celebration Parliamentary Group for Allergy present how companies “stay fragmented, under-resourced, and unable to maintain tempo with rising want.”
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