Is your hay fever making your asthma worse?
Did you know that hay fever and asthma are closely linked? Both conditions are related to sensitivity and inflammation of the airways. While hay fever the sensitivity is in the nose, with asthma, it's in the lungs. Given our nose and lungs are connected, hay fever can flare up asthma.
Four in five people with asthma also have hay fever.1 The thing is, untreated hay fever increases the risk of asthma, worsens asthma symptoms and makes asthma more difficult to control.
People with both asthma and hay fever tend to find the asthma results in:2
- more flare-ups
- more GP visits
- more hospitalisations
- and more time off work or school
Will treating hay fever target my asthma?
It’s important to note that the treatment plans for asthma and hay fever are different. However, effective hay fever management is an important part of asthma control. Your doctor or Pharmacist can recommend a combination of medications to safely target hay fever in the nose and asthma in the lungs.
What can I do to help my control?
If you or someone you care for has both asthma and hay fever, take these steps:
- Identify all hay fever triggers and work to eliminate or reduce exposure to them.
- Identify all asthma symptoms and how to identify when they are becoming worse. Ask your GP if you aren’t sure about this.
- Talk to your doctor and Pharmacist about all symptoms for both asthma and hay fever. This will help them recommend an effective combination of treatments for both conditions.
- Keep your asthma and hay fever action plans up to date. If you don’t have these yet, talk to your GP to make one.
- Ensure everyone who helps care for your child has a copy of the action plans, including early childcare educators, teachers and after school instructors.
Anghus Hall
Pharmacist at TerryWhite Chemmart
Colonnades SA