ALLERGIES

How common is it?

Recent data shows that around 20% of the UK population, a total of 12 million people, suffer from hayfever. This condition can result in 40% of sufferers having symptoms severe enough to affect their work with 10% needing to take time off work.

Many hayfever sufferers are in their teens and the peak hayfever season occurs in the May/June examination season - a very important time of their lives.

Hayfever has also been shown to make it harder for children to learn and concentrate at school.

What causes it?

Only airborne pollen (which can drop into the eye or be inhaled through the nose) causes hayfever. Many trees, grasses and plants produce airborne pollen, although grass pollen is by far the most common cause of hayfever in the UK.

The tree flowering pollen seasons are usually short and occur in the spring from March to May, whereas, grasses and plants produce pollen throughout the summer with the peak months being May to July in the south and June to August in the north.

What are pollen counts?

Pollen counts vary from region to region just like the weather. They are now a regular feature on television and in the newspapers and can be useful in predicting when you should start treatment or planning your days out. Hot, sunny, still days in early summer lead to high pollen counts. Any score above 50 (grains per cubic metre) is usually enough to trigger symptoms and in most cases the higher the count, the worse the symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

Hayfever Symptoms include:

• Sneezing

• Runny nose

• Nasal congestion

• Itching of the nose, eyes and mouth

• Sore throats

• Swollen eyes

• Headaches

Hayfever causes a great deal of misery to sufferers. A Gallup survey found that 80% of sufferers felt really unhappy, miserable, depressed, irritated or listless during the hayfever season. 40% of sufferers are self-conscious about the effects of hayfever on their appearance and feel it restricts their social lives during the summer.

How is it treated?

Antihistamine tablets, which are available over the counter from pharmacies and also from other retail outlets, are the most commonly used treatment for hayfever. Clarityn Allergy (loratadine) is an antihistamine which doesn’t normally make you feel drowsy and provides effective relief from hayfever symptoms with a single daily dose. This means you can get on with your life without worrying about hayfever.

Clarityn Allergy (loratadine) once-daily tablets and syrup may be taken by adults and children over 12 years of age, and syrup by children aged between 2 and 12 years whose bodyweight is more than 30kg. For children aged between 2 and 12 years who weigh less than 30kg, 5ml of syrup once daily can be taken.

In addition to a 7 tablet pack the range includes a 30 tablet pack which is only available from pharmacies. The 30 pack represents extra value for families and regular sufferers.

Clarityn Allergy tablets and syrup contain loratadine. Always read the leaflet.

Hayfever and driving

A Gallup survey found that 25% of drivers who suffer from hayfever said that their ability to drive was affected by hayfever symptoms - so effective treatment is important.

However, as with all antihistamines, there may be very rare exceptions and care should be taken when tablets are used for the first time.

If you drive it is a good idea to ask your pharmacist for a non-drowsy treatment. Clarityn Allergy (loratadine) tablets do not normally make people feel drowsy; and have been shown to have no adverse effects on reaction times and driving ability. However, as with all antihistamines, there may be very rare exceptions when people do experience drowsiness and care should be taken when using tablets for the first time.

Clarityn Allergy (loratadine) tablets are available in cartons of 7 and 30 tablets. The 30 tablet pack is only available from pharmacies.

Clarityn Allergy tablets and syrup contain loratadine. Always read the leaflet.

Performance at work

According to a Gallup survey, 40% of sufferers find that hayfever affects their work, mainly due to irritability and being distracted. It causes 10% of sufferers to take time off work.

Clarityn Allergy (loratadine) does not normally cause drowsiness and has been shown to have no adverse effects on performance in adults at work. It has even been tested on pilots where it was found to not impair their performance and alertness in the cockpit - which is reassuring for people doing other jobs with skill or safety implications.

However, as with all antihistamines, there may be very rare exceptions and care should be taken when tablets are used for the first time.

Performance at school

Children with hayfever can do less well at school. A study of children with hayfever found that there is a risk of dropping a grade in summer exams. However, as with all antihistamines, there may be very rare exceptions and care should be taken when tablets are used for the first time.