Hay fever relievers

WARMER TEMPERATURES HAVE TRIGGERED AN EARLY START TO POLLEN SEASON. JAMEL SMITH FINDS OUT HOW TO PREVENT AND TREAT ALLERGIES

THIS spring spring and and summer, an estimated 10 million Britons will experience "absolute misery" as the effects of hay fever set in.

George Sandhu, deputy superintendent pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, says hay fever symptoms, including a blocked nose, watery eyes and itchy throat, are triggered by three types of pollen: trees, grass and weeds.

Some people are allergic to a single type of pollen, while others are "unfortunate enough" to suffer from symptoms caused by all three triggers.

arriving Warmer temperatures earlier in the year mean pollen and other allergens are already being released into the air, worsening the condition which last year prompted more than 122,000 clinical visits to GPs, according to the NHS.

What are the best treatments to alleviate hay fever symptoms? Hay fever can be treated with tablets, nasal sprays or eye drops. For complete relief, experts advise using all three treatments.

George says: "Hay fever symptoms cause absolute misery for millions of people, but the good news is that there are plenty of things that you can do to reduce their impact on your life."

Anti-allergy medicine, known as antihistamines, is the most popular form of treatment for hay fever.