Almus Hayfever & Allergy Cetirizine Tablets | 30 Tablets

Cetirizine 10mg – 30 Tablets

Cetirizine Hydrochloride One-a-day 10mg tablets help prevent the symptoms associated with hayfever and high pollen counts as well as other allergic reactions caused by pets and dust mites.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a disorder of the immune system which, causes an exaggerated response within the body when you come into contact with a foreign substance, that would be harmless in most people. The contact can be with your skin, mouth, gullet (oesophagus), stomach, intestine or with the lining of your lungs. Substances in the environment that cause the response are known as allergens and someone who suffers a response to a particular allergen is said to be allergic to it. If you are allergic to a particular allergen you may suffer from a mild cough or a sneeze attack, but for others the symptoms can be much more severe, and can even lead to death. Almost any substance can be an allergen for someone.

Allergies are generally the body’s way of eliminating something it considers unsuitable. Allergies are responsible for many illnesses, especially in young children. If you think you have an allergy, you must contact your doctor who will help you to control the symptoms.

How many people suffer from allergies in the U.K.?

The number of people with allergies has increased dramatically over the past 20 years:

• 1 in 3 people will at some time in their life suffer from an allergy.
• 1 in 5 people suffer from hay fever (Over 9 million in the U.K. are thought to be affected).
• 1 in 5 school children are thought to be affected by asthma.
• Approximately 6 million people have eczema.

Why do people get allergies?

It is unknown exactly why people get allergies, some experts believe they could be hereditary. This is especially true for certain reactions such as, asthma, eczema and hay fever. If one or both parents have allergies there is a high chance the child will also have allergies. However, the child only inherits the likelihood of having allergies, not a particular allergy. A child is also more likely to develop allergies if exposed to passive smoking.

There has been a great amount of research done of late and many experts believe, that the increase in people developing allergies, could be due to the lifestyles many of us lead and the effect it has on our immune system. Another theory is the increased pollution from vehicle exhausts and other environmental pollutants.

How do I know if I have an allergy?

If you have experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above then you may have suffered an allergic reaction, if so you should seek you doctor’s advice. If you are not sure what caused your reaction you should try to write down the following:

• When your reaction occurs, is it at any particular time of the day or year and how often?
• Which part of the body is affected?
• How severe are the symptoms?
• Do you sneeze or wheeze when you clean the house?
• Are there any remedies that improve your symptoms?
• Is there anything that seems to make your symptoms worse?
• Do your symptoms improve/worsen when at work/home/outdoors?
• Is there a family history of allergies?
• Have you eaten anything different?
• Have you been in contact with any animals?

This will help your doctor identify the specific allergen. Finding out if you have a certain allergy and what the possible causes are, will help your doctor decide what treatment you may need or what you can do to help yourself. If you have had a severe allergic reaction you should seek medical advice immediately.

How are allergies treated?

Prevention is the key in allergy sufferers, so if you know you have an allergy to something you should make the effort to avoid or reduce contact with the specific allergen. To control allergy symptoms you should try the following tips:

• Remove all carpets and switch to wooden floors, tiles or vinyl to reduce the presence of the house dust mite.
• Vacuum soft furnishings frequently or switch to leather or vinyl sofas and chairs.
• Keep your house well ventilated (open windows when cooking and bathing) to reduce humidity levels and prevent mould from forming.
• Wash bedding weekly at a temperature of 60°c or above to kill off any allergens.
• Buy special mattresses and pillow coverings that are resistant to the dust mite.
• Regularly dust and vacuum your house to reduce the population of house dust mites. Ensure your vacuum cleaner has the British Allergy Foundation seal of approval to remove dust mites and cat and dog allergens.
• Put your child’s soft toys in a bag in a freezer for at least 12 hours every month or wash them frequently at high temperatures to kill off dust mites.
• Don’t buy pets but if you do have them, keep them outside and never allow them in a bedroom.
• Use non-scented and hypoallergenic products.
• Use gloves when handling chemicals, solvents and detergents.

Loratadine (Clarityn) vs Cetirizene (Piriteze, Zirtek) tablets

What is the difference?

Loratadine and Cetirizene are the two most common over-the counter treatments for allergies producing very similar results. They are both known as anti-histamines. They work by calming the body’s immune system to allergens. Some people react better to one type of medicine than the other (we sell them both) so we cannot suggest which is better so would simply state that you try them both and see what works best for you.