Xyzal (Levocetirizine)

Hay Fever

Hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it’s warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest (pollen forecast).

Symptoms of hay fever include:
• sneezing and coughing
• a runny or blocked nose
• itchy, red or watery eyes
• itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
• loss of smell
• pain around your temples and forehead
• headache
• earache
• feeling tired
If you have asthma, you might also experience:
• a tight feeling in your chest
• shortness of breath
• wheezing and coughing
Whilst Hay fever shares some symptoms of a cold, it can last a lot longer, for weeks or months.
How to treat hay fever yourself
There is at present no cure for hay fever and no way to prevent from suffering with it however there are things you can do to help alleviate your symptoms when pollen counts are high
These include:
• putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
• wearing wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting into your eyes
• showering and changing your clothes after you’ve been outside to wash pollen off
• staying indoors whenever possible
• keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible
• vacuuming regularly and dusting with a damp cloth
• buying a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a special HEPA filter
Things to avoid:
• cut grass or walk on grass
• spending too much time outside
• keeping fresh flowers in the house
• smoking or being around smoke – This will make your symptoms worse
• drying clothes outside – they can catch pollen this way
• letting pets into the house if possible – they can carry the pollen indoors.