Ultan Molloy, MPSI, HealthWest Community Pharmacy, Ballindine, this week discusses allergies.
We are coming into the peak hay fever season and for many people this can mean uncomfortable streaming eyes, a runny nose and sneezing. However help is at hand. All of these symptoms of hay fever are readily treatable with over the counter medicines from your pharmacist.
Something to consider however — are you sure it is hay fever? Perennial allergic rhinitis (inflammation in the nose due to a reaction to an allergen, ie, something that causes allergy ), colds, sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses ) and conjunctivitis (inflammation in the eye sometimes caused by infection ) can result in similar symptoms to those of hay fever and these can happen at any time during the year. Your pharmacist is available to speak to you and help you discover the likely cause of your symptoms.
If it is an allergy, would you want to know what may be causing your allergy? Respiratory allergen testing may help shed some light on this for you. You can speak to your community pharmacist to see if he/she offers this service.
Your pharmacist is open long hours for your convenience and you don’t need an appointment to get his/her professional healthcare advice. You can also speak to your pharmacist in private, so ask your pharmacist first. You’ll be getting good advice.
Ultan Molloy MPSI , BPharm (Hons ), MSc, MA, Cert Clin Pharm; HealthWest Community Pharmacy, Ballindine, 094 936 4712.
