Is there an injection for hay fever? Does it work? and what are the risks?
By Dr Alan Bennett MBChB FRCS
Consultant Surgeon
It's that time of year again!
With Spring and Summer approaching, as many as 1 in 5 people in the UK will suffer from hay fever symptoms such as a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, runny eyes and absolute misery for weeks on end!
Allergy to grass pollen is the most common, and so worst in May and June, but tree pollen can affect people in the spring, and weed and mould pollen in the autumn.
Hay fever happens when the body’s immune system is triggered by the pollen.
What can be done to treat hay fever?
Most hay fever sufferers take tablets called “antihistamines’ which can be very effective, but for some people these are not strong enough to relieve their suffering.
Is there an injection for hay fever?
Yes, absolutely! Many people swear by a yearly ‘hay fever injection’
Hay fever injections are no longer available on the NHS, but you can get an injection for hay fever from some private clinics.
How does the hay fever injection work?
The hay fever injection is a medication called Kenalog. It is a corticosteroid which damps down the body’s immune reaction, relieving symptoms.
Where does the hay fever injection go?
Kenalog is powerful medication, and so it is given as small injection, usually into the large muscle of the buttock. The medication then slowly leaks from the muscle into the rest of the body over the next couple of months giving relief to hay fever symptoms.
Is the hay fever injection safe?
Yes. When treating hay fever the overall dose of corticosteroid is extremely low, and the side effects are minimal.
Corticosteroids, like Kenalog, are very powerful medications that have unfortunately been given a bad reputation. IF you were to have lots of injections very frequently, you would risk a lot of side effects. BUT we NEVER give these injections frequently. Most people only require them only once a year, and at most we would prescribe them a maximum of three times a year.
You should always, however, see a qualified doctor, as if you have stomach ulcers, diabetes, or ongoing infections, among other conditions, there could be a risk of side effects.
Why did the NHS stop offering the hay fever injection?
The NHS has a limited pot of money to use to provide the best care it can to as many people as possible.
Kenalog has had to go through very rigorous investigation to become licensed for use in hay fever in UK, but after that, there have not been enough studies done to DEFINITIVELY PROVE that it is effective in treating hay fever.
Giving these injections to such a large proportion of the population (because of the millions of people in the UK who suffer from uncontrolled hay fever) is an enormous drain on the Doctors and Nurses who would need to prescribe and administer the injections.
The NHS has therefore decided that these injections aren’t worth it for them.
Our experience is different, however.
To our patients, these injections are a godsend. In those that come to our clinic, they seem to be extremely effective, and it is a joy to see the improvement in people’s lives we can give with just a simple jag.
Is the hay fever jag for everyone?
Most doctors and pharmacists would agree that the first treatment you should try if you have hay fever is simple oral antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops. These can be from your pharmacist, doctor or even the supermarket.
If, however, these are just not enough, a hay fever injection may be the route to beating the symptoms every summer.
Where can I get a hay fever injection in Glasgow?
If you want a professional consultation from a team of qualified doctors to make sure that it is right for you, and safe, then:
visit out website www.pandb.uk
or call us on 0141 3450883
to book in for a hay fever consultation in our Glasgow Clinic.
(We unfortunately do not yet offer hay fever injections in our Swedish clinic in Gothenburg)