From the most effective medications to the most common triggers to avoid, we examine science-backed advice that should reduce your seasonal suffering.
1. Opt for a nasal corticosteroid or antihistamine spray – or combined version – over a pill
At the first sniffle, many of us tend to reach for an oral antihistamine like Claritin or Benadryl. But these pills tend to be less effective than intranasal options, because they work differently: like all oral medications, they have to be digested and distributed throughout the body. This means that the amount that actually reaches the nasal tissue, where it’s needed, is limited.
Nasal sprays, on the other hand, are applied right where they need to go. And, unlike oral versions, they target inflammatory pathways themselves, helping them to address nasal obstruction, sneezing, and other symptoms more comprehensively.
2. Avoid nasal decongestants
Not all nasal sprays are the same – and while many of us turn to decongestant sprays for relief from a blocked nose, this can backfire.
3. If you do take an oral antihistamine, make sure it’s a ‘second-generation’ version
If you decide to take a pill, opt for a “second-generation” option like certirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin) or fexofenadine (Allegra). These newer medications work better and have less of a sedative effect than first-generation options like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine or doxylamine.
While it can be tempting to take both an oral antihistamine and a nasal spray, it’s usually “a waste of money”, says Glenis Scadding, vice president of the non-profit Euforea, which focuses on research and education around allergies, and honorary consultant allergist and rhinologist at University College Hospital London in the UK. “Oral antihistamines make very little difference to a nasal corticosteroid,” she says.
4. Start your treatment before allergy season begins
Don’t wait until you feel symptoms to start using your nasal spray: starting a few weeks before the season begins has the best outcomes. In one trial, hay fever sufferers who started using intranasal corticosteroids four weeks before pollen season did better than those who started using the spray only on seeing symptoms, for example.
5. Apply it regularly – even on days you don’t have symptoms
“When people say [these medications] are ineffective, it’s usually for one of two reasons,” says Durham. “Either they’re not taking them properly, or they’re not taking them regularly.”
Use your treatment at the same time each day, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. It’s also important to follow dosing instructions: the trial of combined corticosteroid-antihistamine spray found the greatest symptom reduction in those who used it twice – rather than once – a day.
6. Make sure you are properly administrating nasal sprays…
Even when we choose an effective nasal spray, many of us are applying it wrong. A common error is to jam the bottle as high up in our nose as it will go, tilt our heads back, spray, and then sniff – all of which directs the medicine towards the back of the throat. But it needs to be in the nose to work.
7. …and eye drops
Many people put their heads back and try to drop the medicine right on top of their eye. This often backfires, with the liquid spilling out immediately (or not spreading across the eyes surface).
Instead, tilt your head to the side, then drop the medicine into the inner corner and blink, Scadding and Durham advise. This distributes it more evenly across the eye.
8. Reduce any triggers
Beyond medications, be mindful about your exposure to potential allergens. Keeping windows closed – even, unfortunately, at night – can help, as can wearing sunglasses or a mask when you go outside. It’s also important to wash well (ideally, taking a shower) when you come in from spending any time outside; otherwise, allergens like pollen cling to your hair and face, where they can not only continue to irritate you, but can transfer to your furniture and bedding, allergists say.
