How dual product therapy can help your allergies?
With congestion, sneezing and watery eyes topping the symptom list, hay fever can sometimes seem like a common cold. However, its symptoms don’t clear up unless treated. Untreated, persistent hay fever can bring a few sideways glances as people think of COVID-19 and have a number of knock-on health effects, from irritability to infections – so it's important to treat symptoms early and effectively. And this is where a particular technique can come in handy: Dual product therapy.
What does dual product therapy do?
Dual product or combination therapy is like attacking hay fever from several angles. As you may have guessed, it involves taking two or more complementary medications to target different hay fever symptoms.
How does it work?
Imagine: taking an antihistamine tablet alone may help reduce minor symptoms, but when combined with a corticosteroid nasal spray or antihistamine eye drops, you'll also be helping to treat nasal and sinus inflammation and alleviate itchy, watery eyes.
RealTalk with Luke Edmunds
Pharmacist at TerryWhite Chemmart Harvest Lakes, WA
With congestion, sneezing and watery eyes topping the symptom list, hay fever can sometimes seem like a common cold. However, its symptoms don’t clear up unless treated. Untreated, persistent hay fever can bring a few sideways glances as people think of COVID-19 and have a number of knock-on health effects, from irritability to infections – so it's important to treat symptoms early and effectively. And this is where a particular technique can come in handy: Dual product therapy.
What does dual product therapy do?
Dual product or combination therapy is like attacking hay fever from several angles. As you may have guessed, it involves taking two or more complimentary medications to target different hay fever symptoms.
How does it work?
Imagine: taking an antihistamine tablet alone may help reduce minor symptoms, but when combined with a corticosteroid nasal spray or antihistamine eye drops, you'll also be helping to treat nasal and sinus inflammation and alleviate itchy, watery eyes.
RealTalk with Luke Edmunds
Pharmacist at TerryWhite Chemmart
Harvest Lakes, WA
Which products may work for me?
Dual product therapy is not a one-fits-all approach, and some products require careful use, so make sure you talk to your Pharmacist about which treatments may help relieve your hay fever symptoms.
Your Pharmacist may discuss:
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays reduce swelling in the lining of the nose and are known to be one of the most effective treatments for hay fever. It is important to follow your Pharmacist’s advice on taking medications over a period of time.
- Antihistamine tablets provide general relief from sneezing and itchiness by blocking the effects of histamines.
- Antihistamine eye drops also block histamines, to quickly relieve itchy and watery eyes.
- Decongestant sprays help reduce nasal congestion by blocking histamines, though should only be used for a short period, as long-term use can cause congestion.
- Decongestant tablets are similar to sprays, though do not cause the same long-term concerns.
- Saline nasal sprays can help relieve dry nasal passages by clearing congestion and washing out allergens such as dust and pollen.
- Immunotherapy is an option administered by a trained medical specialist, wherein the patient is injected with small doses of allergens; to desensitise the body over time.