Allergy season is upon us, here at Persona we can help you you through the itchy/watery eye season with Hay fever injections.
Between 10-15% of us suffer from hay fever, however severe. For many people it causes significant fatigue and problems with concentration. About 10% of people do not respond to conventional treatment such as antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays, and eye drops.
If you find hay fever (also called allergic rhinitis) affects your outdoor life every time summer rolls round, read on to find out how our injection for treating this common problem could turn things around.
What is hay fever?
Hay fever is caused by your immune system reacting unnecessarily to pollens causing an allergic reaction. Typically when it’s in contact with the mouth, nose, throat, and eyes. It’s usually at its worst during the warmer months, however trees can begin to produce pollen in late January and some grasses continue producing pollen until September. It can be especially bad during humid or windy conditions, when the pollen count is at its highest. Fur, feathers, dust mites and even pet saliva can also be triggers for this most irritating of problems.
Symptoms (which, unlike a cold, can last for weeks or months rather than days) include:
- Coughing and sneezing
- Red, watery or itchy eyes
- A blocked or runny nose
- Headache
- A loss or reduction of smell
- Itchy mouth, ears nose and throat
These may be a little more severe if you also have asthma.
Is there a cure?
Not at the moment, and in fact there’s nothing you can do to prevent hay fever. You can only alleviate the symptoms, for example with antihistamines as drops, tablets, or nasal sprays. Regular vacuuming at home or buying a pollen filter for the car may also help. You can also try putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen or keep it out of your eyes and try showering and changing your clothes as soon as you come in from being outside. Unfortunately, some of the other symptom-relieving techniques involve reducing your summertime fun – such as just staying indoors, avoiding contact with others if you feel very ill, and closing all windows. (Equally, you shouldn’t keep fresh flowers inside, walk on or cut grass, or dry clothes outdoors, meaning it can all feel quite limiting!)
What is the injection and how can it help?
The brand name for the Hay fever injection is Kenalog. Each Kenalog injection contains the drug Triamcinolone acetonide 40mg/1ml as the active ingredient.
Triamcinolone acetonide belongs to a group of medicines called corticosteroids. The principal effect of corticosteroids is to reduce the body’s inflammatory & allergic response. They are used very commonly for many serious medical conditions.
The NHS no longer prescribes or administers Kenalog for hay fever, but it is still officially licensed for the treatment of severe hay fever in the UK and continues to be routinely administered to patients in most other countries around the world.
For some hay fever sufferers, the potential risks of the hay fever jab do not justify the benefits that they may gain from the hay fever treatment, but there are many people who have used this treatment to good effect. We will undergo a health assessment with you to ensure you are suitable to receive treatment.
It’s important to remember that the Kenalog injection does not cure hay fever. It just temporarily suppresses the immune system enough to take away the symptoms in most people who need it.
You can start to feel the benefits of the Hay Fever injection within hours or days, and you can have it at any point, ideally at or just before the onset of symptoms. Its effects typically last for up to six months, so it should see you through a full hay fever season.
The treatment is not suitable if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an operation coming up in the next few months or have an infection or a suppressed immune system. Equally, some long-term conditions, including diabetes, osteoporosis, epilepsy, glaucoma, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, may preclude you from having the jab, so do disclose your detailed medical history before going ahead.
Procedure
Kenalog is an injection that is injected into the buttock (gluteal) muscle. This is known as an Intra-Muscular (IM) injection. The skin surface is thoroughly cleaned with an alcohol swab prior to the injection.
It takes seconds and is not a very painful injection as the substance itself is not irritating to the tissue.
Potential side effects
These are rare and typically mild. But potentially they could include:
- Slightly elevated blood pressure
- Itchy skin
- Mild stomach ache
Book your hay fever jab with Persona Medical Aesthetics
At Person Medical Aesthetics we offer hay fever injections alongside our full suite of aesthetic treatments. Our highly effective hay fever injections will get you through the season ahead. Don’t dread the summer or have to limit your activity once the sun is out. Get in touch for your initial consultation today.