Hay fever is an allergic condition that usually occurs in a specific season, which is spring or summer, and causes cold-like clinical features, such as runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion. There is sneezing as well as fever associated with it. Unlike cold, hay fever is never viral in origin.
Basically, hay fever also called allergic rhinitis is caused by indoor allergens such as pollen, house dusts or animal dander. Allergic rhinitis can be perennial i.e. occurs throughout the year or it can be seasonal. Mostly, seasonal symptoms appear in spring or summer. In spring, pollen grains are the top of the list allergens that irritate the patient.
Once, an allergic patient gets exposure to the allergen, following signs and symptoms happen: Runny nose, Nasal congestion, Itchy eyes, mouth or throat, Sneezing, Cough, Dark circles around the eyes, Crease on the nasal dorsum (so-called "allergic salute" sign caused by rubbing the nose). When the symptoms don’t improve even when the patient refrains from the allergen then he needs to consult a doctor.
The treatment strategy of allergic rhinitis looks as follows: 1. Prevention: This is the first step of treatment of allergic rhinitis and must be kept in mind. The affected person must cover his mouth while stepping out in fresh air in spring season. Activities such as dry dusting at home should not be performed. Similarly, pets must be kept away from oneself if animal dander is the cause. 2. Specific treatment: Antihistamines, these are best over-the-counter medications which help with itching and sneezing and relieve severe signs and symptoms. Best antihistamines are cetirizine and loratadine, which are nasal corticosteroids for prevention of inflammation and help in relieving a runny nose. Sodium Cromoglycate, which is in the form of sprays and is basically an inhibitor of allergic reaction. It stabilizes the mast cells and prevents serious side effects. Montelukast comes at the end when the affected person is done with the treatment and allergic rhinitis is stabilized, Montelukast works best to prevent second or further attacks. 3. Desensitization: When there are repeated attacks and no available medicine works out, then an anti-allergen injection is given which prevents from allergic reactions.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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