You give me (Hay) fever

Aim

For dental nurses to have a better understanding of Hay fever, the treatments and support available to patients.

Objectives

This article meets GDC development outcomes B, C and D.

Allergic Rhinitis is a condition often known as hay fever. For many, Hay fever is just an inconvenience, it can cause some sneezing and itchy eyes, but for others, it is a debilitating condition that can leave us very uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I am one of those sufferers. Summer means some element of misery for me. My eyes itch and swell, my nose streams and I even get an itchy palate! My relief is given via medications from my GP to help soothe my symptoms as much as possible. If the year has been particularly bad with frequent high pollen counts, then a brief encounter with Prednisolone can help to rescue my summer. Hay fever can even be so bad as to cause me to miss work and I have been known to be impatient and rather grumpy during this season.