GPHC UK Registered Pharmacy Logo
UK Registered and Regulated
LegitScript Certification Badge – Trusted Certification for Online Pharmacies
LegitScript Certified
GMC UK GPs Badge
UK Registered GPs
16,000+ Trustpilot reviews
16,000+ Reviews

Hay Fever

Before we can issue a treatment, you’ll need to answer a short assessment. This assessment will help us recommend the right treatment for you.

  • privacy tip100% confidential
  • watch laterTakes less than 5 minutes!
  • local pharmacyUK pharmacy

Buy Hay Fever Treatment Online

Hay fever is one of the most common allergies in the UK. Around 1 in 4 adults will suffer from hay fever at one time or another, and it is becoming more common. 

Hay fever can be an incredibly irritating and frustrating condition. Symptom management is crucial in lessening the impact of this seasonal allergy. While there is no hay fever cure, most people will find they can control their symptoms effectively using anti-histamine tablets and/or eye drops and nasal sprays.


With Simple Online Pharmacy, our UK registered Doctor can issue you a prescription for your hay fever treatment. Simply fill out an assessment, and our doctor will evaluate your suitability for treatment. If approved, our doctor will pass a prescription on to our pharmacy team, who will fill the prescription, and dispatch your medicine discreetly and securely to your delivery address.

Hay Fever Treatment

Hay Fever treatment options

    Overview

    What is Hay Fever?

    Hay fever is a common allergy that is triggered by the body’s allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen is a fine powder produced by trees, flowers, and grass that travels through the wind. The pollen count is usually highest between late March and September and is worse on humid, warm and windy days. You can see how high the count is on the Met Office pollen forecast page.

    Hay Fever Symptoms

    Common hay fever symptoms include itchy, red or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, and runny or blocked nasal passages. It can also cause an itchy throat, mouth and nose.

    Less common symptoms include feeling tired and fatigued, losing your sense of smell, headaches and earaches. People with asthma who suffer from hay fever may notice more wheezing and tightness in the chest.

    Some of the symptoms can seem like a cold, but hay fever symptoms usually last months. Colds tend to last for around 2 weeks.

    People can experience hay fever symptoms (allergic rhinitis) from other sources of allergies such as dust mites and animal dander. If you notice symptoms at unusual times of the year, such as winter, your symptoms may be caused by a different source of allergies.

    Treatments

    Hay Fever Medicines

    There are many treatments for hay fever, including tablets, eye drops, nasal sprays, and syrups. Most of these belong to a family of medicines called antihistamines. These are effective treatments and they work by blocking a chemical in the body called histamine. Histamine is the cause of hay fever symptoms because it overreacts to pollen that comes into contact with the body. 

    Hay fever tablets are effective treatments for a range of symptoms, whereas hay fever nasal sprays work specifically against the nasal symptoms of hay fever, like a runny nose. Hay fever eye drops help to treat symptoms affecting the eyes.

    Nasal sprays and eye drops can be used alongside tablets if needed.

    Over the counter

    Some medicines can be bought over the counter without a prescription. One example is Piriton, which can be bought from a pharmacy. This is available as a tablet or syrup and can cause drowsiness.

    Cetirizine is another over the counter medicine. It comes as a tablet that is taken once a day and is less likely to cause drowsiness. Another example is Loratadine, which is also taken once a day and is less likely to cause drowsiness.

    Certain eye drops can be bought over the counter such as Optrex Hayfever Relief (contains sodium cromoglicate) and Optrex Itchy Eyes.

    Prescription treatments

    Several hay fever treatments are available on prescription. Strong hayfever tablets can be prescribed such as Telfast, Levocetirizine and Desloratadine. These are all prescription-only antihistamine tablets.

    Rhinolast is a prescription nasal spray that contains the active ingredient azelastine, an antihistamine. This can be used to treat nasal symptoms. Beconase nasal spray is also available on prescription, and a smaller version can be bought over the counter. Dymista is a nasal spray that contains two ingredients - fluticasone and azelastine.


    Optilast Eye Drops is a prescription-strength eye drop used for hay fever symptoms such as itchy, red and watery eyes. This contains the active ingredient azelastine.

    FAQ

    What is the best medication for hay fever?

    The best hay fever medication will be different for different people. For some people, eye drops or nasal sprays will be enough to clear symptoms, but for others, taking oral tablets may be more suitable. You may find some medications work better for you than others.

    What is the best permanent cure for hay fever?

    Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for hay fever. However, you can use a mix of lifestyle tips and medication to significantly improve your symptoms. Helpful lifestyle tips include staying indoors on high pollen days, keeping car windows closed, keeping windows and doors shut, and wearing wraparound sunglasses. As well as following lifestyle advice, you can use medicines such as antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays, and hayfever eye drops to control your symptoms.

    Is it okay to take hayfever tablets every day?

    Before taking any hayfever tablets you should read the patient information leaflet to make sure they are safe for you to take. You can take hayfever tablets every day, especially during the months when the pollen count is highest. You don’t need to take your hayfever tablets at other times of the year if you don’t have any symptoms.

    When is hay fever season?

    Hay fever season is usually from sometime in March until September. However, different types of pollen may circulate at different times of the year. For example, tree pollen season is usually from late March to mid-May, whereas grass pollen is worse from mid-May to July.

    How long does hay fever last?

    Symptoms usually last for weeks or months when the pollen count is high. One useful lifestyle tip is to take showers and get changed as soon as you get home to remove the pollen on your body.

    Can I buy hayfever tablets online?

    You can buy hay fever tablets in the UK online and over the counter. However, certain hay fever tablets like desloratadine, Telfast, and levocetirizine are only available on prescription. You can request to order these from the Simple Online Pharmacy online doctor service.

    Hay Fever Treatment Comparison