Medicines for hay fever

The antihistamines in tablet form take effect after about one to two hours and last for about 24 hours, so taking them once a day is sufficient. It is recommended to take the medication in the evening before sleeping, as antihistamines can make you tired in rare cases. In addition to the antihistamines in tablet form, there are also locally applicable drugs for taking in acute complaints and for quick relief of complaints, which usually contain the active substance azelastine.

This is used in the form of eye drops and nasal sprays. Due to the local use of the drug, side effects occur far less frequently than with oral antihistamines and the onset of action is achieved after only a few minutes, but the effect does not last as long. With the locally applicable antihistamines, care should be taken to buy products that do not contain preservatives, as these can also cause allergies.

The suitability of the respective active ingredients and the correct dosage for children should be read in the package insert. Contraindications for the administration of first-generation antihistamines are existing prostate hypertrophy and narrow-angle glaucoma, as these can worsen the symptoms. Other side effects may be: Dry mouth, possibly in combination with irritable cough and allergic reactions to antihistamines.It should be noted that all antihistamines listed here should not be used during pregnancy and lactation.

In the case of hay fever, eye drops with an active ingredient from the antihistamine group are also used to relieve the symptoms of the eyes. These include Livocab® eye drops. Corticosteroids are usually used for hay fever in the form of nasal sprays, which improve the inflammatory reaction on the spot.

However, since these sprays are hardly helpful for itching and watery eyes, a combination with antihistamines is recommended in this case. Corticoids in the form of syringes or tablets can be given for a short time to initiate therapy in very severe cases, but are not a recommended standard medication due to the increased risk of side effects. However, the effect of the locally used corticoids only sets in with a certain delay, i.e. after hours or even days.

At the beginning of therapy with cortisone and in the case of very pronounced symptoms, double the dose may be used for the first two weeks as an exception. Possible side effects of using nasal sprays containing cortisone are dry nasal mucous membranes with increased nosebleeds and headaches. To avoid damage to the nasal mucous membranes from the outset, it is recommended not to use these sprays for a prolonged period.

However, inhalation may cause a bad taste in the mouth and irritation of the nose, throat and windpipe, which may be accompanied by a cough and a reflex narrowing of the airways. Mast cell stabilizers are extremely poorly absorbed into the body through the intestines, which is why only local application, for example in the form of sprays, is sensible. The swallowed portion is almost completely excreted through the stool.

If you have dry, burning, itchy and aching eyes, it may be soothing to keep your eyes moist. In this case, eye drops can have a soothing effect. In this case it is recommended to use eye drops with natural active ingredients if possible.

Furthermore, there is, similar to the nose drops, a wide range of different anti-allergic eye drops. Due to dosage problems, especially with children, some ingredients in eye drop and nose drop form are not recommended. In the case of hay fever, eye drops with an active ingredient from the antihistamine group are also used to relieve the symptoms of the eyes.

These include Livocab® eye drops. Some nasal sprays or drops help to reduce the swelling of the nasal mucosa in cases of blocked, swollen noses. As a rule, a spray should be given into each nostril 3 times a day.

It is important to pay attention to the ingredients; at best, nasal sprays with physiological salt solution should be used. There is also a wide range of anti-allergic nasal drops with different ingredients. It is not advisable to take several preparations in succession. Furthermore, a permanent use of nasal sprays is not recommended, especially if they contain chemical substances. If used for longer than a week, the nasal mucous membranes can dry out and become inflamed.