6 Effective Precautions To Keep Hay Fever At Bay During Pregnancy
Hay fever is an allergic rhinitis. It is a seasonal condition. While it is not difficult to treat hay fever during pregnancy, you will have to follow a different medication than what you relied on in the past.
The first step you should do before you start the treatment is to distinguish whether what you have is hay fever or common cold. Both these health problems have similar symptoms, except that hay fever is caused in summer and spring.
Once your doctor confirms that you have hay fever, your treatment will involve medication and also preventive care.
Symptoms Of Hay Fever During Pregnancy:
The symptoms of hay fever normally vary from person to person. Few people have mild symptoms while others get severely affected by these symptoms.
Some of the common symptoms of hay fever include:
- Itchy and runny nose.
- Excessive sneezing.
- Blocked nose.
- Red and watery eyes.
- Throat problems.
Some people experience just the eye symptoms while some experience the nasal symptoms as well.
Some of the less common symptoms include:
- Pain on the face.
- Excessive sweating
- Mild headache.
- Loss of smell.
- Asthma symptoms include breathlessness, which may get worse if you are already an asthma patient.
[ Read : Breathing Problem During Pregnancy ]
How To Diagnose Hay Fever?
Generally hay fever is diagnosed based on the symptoms and few other tests:
- The doctor asks you few questions regarding your health history and your family health history. It can be diagnosed based on past health history.
- Blood test to diagnose the antibodies present in the blood.
- Skin test.
[ Read : Fever During Pregnancy ]
Hay Fever Treatment During Pregnancy:
Although hay fever is not life threatening it can be extremely irritating and troublesome during pregnancy. You should always consult the doctor if you are facing symptoms of hay fever rather than going with the normal medication you use for a cold or fever.
The treatment options during your pregnancy differ from what is used for treating someone who is not pregnant. Some extra care has to be taken while you are using medicines:
- Using saline nasal spray: This is one of the solutions. Cleaning the nose with saline spray or salt water helps you clean away the allergies in the nose. This can be used before you use the medicated spray.
- Corticosteroid nasal spray: This helps in treating inflammation caused by hay fever. This medicine is safe to be used by pregnant women and also provides long term relief.
- Oral Corticosteroids: These are also used in the pill form. They are prescribed generally only for a short term use as long term use causes muscle weakness.
[ Read : Nasal Spray During Pregnancy ]
Few Tips To Prevent Hay Fever:
It may not be possible to avoid allergies completely but taking few preventive measures are always useful:
- As this allergy or hay fever is caused due to pollen, stay indoors in the morning or during those hours or seasons when pollen counts are higher.
- Try to reduce your outdoor activities in the early morning.
- Use clothes that are allergen proof.
- Try using a mask while gardening or going out.
- Stay away from mouldy surfaces.
- Do not place flowers in your room.
Although hay fever is not a serious health issue during pregnancy, it is always important to talk to your doctor before you take any kind of medication, as it will affect the growth of your baby.
[ Read : Dengue In Pregnancy ]
If your family health history states that you may have hay fever, it is better to prepare yourself before the hay fever season starts. You can talk to your doctor and prepare a plan for yourself.
Have more ideas and thoughts on hay fever relief during pregnancy? Share your experiences and tips here with other mommies.
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