Silver Digest September/October 2020

Page 34

H E A LT H

• Sleep – breathing through mouth, frequent awakening,

steroid nasal spray. Antihistamines relieve the

daytime fatigue, night time

itching, sneezing and runny nose,

or early morning coughing.

but they do not relieve nasal

Children will often snore and

congestion. Keep in mind that older

can especially struggle with

generation sedating antihistamines

attention and concentration.

are best avoided before driving and should not be used in children.

MANAGING THE CONDITION

Antihistamine eye drops can

“In the first place, one can work

relieve itching or irritation of the

to avoid one’s specific allergic

eyes.

triggers. Fortunately The Allergy

Decongestants in oral or nasal

and Immunology Research Unit is

spray form should not be used for

now providing accurate national

more than a few days at a time,

pollen and mould monitoring

because of the risk of rebound nasal

within various South African cities.

congestion, and are discouraged in

This can enable one to take the

the treatment of hay fever.

necessary proactive precautions,

Leukotriene modifiers are

OTIS MEDICAL ASSIST CHAIR

D

o you or someone close to you suffer from arthritis or some other affliction related

to the musculoskeletal system? Do

such as limiting outdoor activities

drugs that block the actions of

at times of high pollen count and

leukotrienes, or molecules that

you or someone you love struggle to

using medications.”

cause inflammation, and can be

walk, or to stand up? These illnesses

very useful in people with both

are extremely painful and thousands

asthma and allergic rhinitis.

of people can’t afford the necessary

Your doctor may suggest allergy testing if your symptoms are not well controlled with medications,

“Allergen immunotherapy,

equipment and treatment that can

or if it is not clear what is causing

which can be very successfully

help alleviate their pain or improve

your symptoms. This may include a

used to resolve allergic problems

their condition. Most people have no

skin prick or blood test.

such as hay fever in some

choice but to live with this pain, which

Dr Coetzee says the following

individuals, involves trying to alter

only gets worse over time.

treatments are available to assist in

the way a person’s immune system

the management of hay fever:

reacts to allergens. The most

helplessly stand by and watch a loved

For family members that have to

common form of immunotherapy

one go through this, the experience

are the first line of treatment.

is regular injections. Whether you

is heart-breaking, especially if

They have few side effects and

are a candidate for immunotherapy

the patient is a parent or another

dramatically relieve symptoms in

depends on your history, as well as

immediate family member who

most people. If your nose is crusted

what you are allergic to,” concludes

suffers for years before they pass

or contains mucus, you can first

Dr Coetzee. •

away. But now, there is an affordable

Steroid (cortisone) nasal sprays

solution that can help alleviate the

clean it with saline (salt water) nasal irrigation before using the

This article first appeared on www.medicalacademic.co.za on 15 October 2019

pain, promote exercise and aid rehabilitation of these patients – the OTIS Medical Assist Chair. The chair helps lift a patient from a seated to a standing position, thus allowing for freedom of mobility and independence. OTIS Medical Assist Chair, the best gift you can give a struggling loved one. •

34

SILVER DIGEST // SPRING 2020


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Silver Digest September/October 2020 by New Media B2B - Issuu