What Is the Treatment for Hay Fever?

Q:
What is the treatment for hay fever?

A:
The treatments for hay fever can include certain over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. If you have a severe allergy you might try immunotherapy, a long-term process that lowers your response.

Medications

Several are available to treat hay fever.

• Nasal corticosteroids: These are considered the safest and most effective treatment.
• Antihistamines: They can help ease your itches, stop your sneezes, and clear up your runny nose.
• Cromolyn (Crolom): This OTC nasal spray blocks the release of histamines, chemicals that cause your nose to run and make you sneeze.
• Decongestants: They’ll open up your stuffy nose.
• Ipratropium (Atrovent): another asthma medication, can help with an ongoing runny nose.
• Leukotriene modifiers: The prescription drugs montelukast (Singulair), often used to treat asthma, stops your body from making the chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.

Immunotherapy

Given as shots or daily pills, it offers long-term relief from allergy symptoms. You’ll get a tiny dose of the allergens that bother you. Over time your body will get used to them and be less likely to react. You’ll get the shots at your doctor’s office. You might take them for several years.

Allergy treatment with medicines or immunotherapy depends on a number of personal things. You and your doctor can decide what’s best for you.

Keyword: hay fever remedies; hay fever treatment