25 Queen's Terrace, SOUTHAMPTON SO14 3BQ
Dr Xavier’s Clinic (London)
1 Harley Street, LONDON W1G 9QD
For both clinics call 023 80 637 638
For both clinics call 023 80 637 638
Despite the warmer weather, many people dread the Spring season. For many,
it means it is the start of 'hay-fever season' which can lead to a range of
prolonged symptoms such as; a runny nose, sore eyes, sneezing and a foggy head.
These symptoms can cause significant disruption to one's everyday life.
A consultation with our Dr Xavier may be helpful for planning a path through
hay-fever season and finding an easier solution to reducing the discomfort and make
daily life more bearable.
Hayfever is a basic response by your autoimmune system which is trying to
prevent plant pollen from entering your body. This response is commonly also
triggered by pet hair and dust.
Although pollen is not dangerous to your health, the body can have a heightened
response / reaction to it and this is when people experience an itchy nose and eyes,
running nose, sneezing and nasal congestion. The period you might experience these
symptoms varies on the area where you live and what type of pollen you are more
susceptible to. Usually, it starts late spring and continues up until September.
The Kenalog injection is a steroid treatment that is available to over 18s only at our clinic.
The treatment administered is safe and approved for use in the UK (the treatment was
actually available on the NHS in the past but less so now (likely funding is an issue)
and is routinely administered in other countries).
Steroid hayfever treatment doesn't cure hayfever but the beneficial effects can usually
last the duration of the hayfever season.
If you have previously administered other treatments to combat hayfever, such as oral
antihistamine tablets or topical eye drops, one solution to alleviate your hayfever
symptoms is to get the Kenalog injection. This is a steroid treatment, recommended for
those who have severe symptoms.
During your appointment, our doctor will take discuss the benefits as well as the side-effects of the treatment. Dr Xavier will make sure the Kenalog injection is the right treatment for you and assess whether other treatments might be a better fit for your needs or not. The dose that a particular patient needs, is calculated according to their body weight. 1mg per kg is the standard way to calculate the correct dose for patients. The Kenalog injection is administered intramuscularly (into deep muscle), and the effects will start working within one to 48 hours.
Kenalog injections are recommended for anyone who suffers from hayfever symptoms, such as a
runny nose, red / watery eyes, sneezing, etc. Unlike over-the-counter allergy tablets, the hayfever
injection provides longer-term relief that can last the whole hayfever season.
Although most people only experience mild hayfever symptoms, the allergy can be debilitating
for some - especially those who haven't responded to the treatments on offer over-the-counter.
Kenalog injections are not recommended for:
If you regularly experience hayfever symptoms each year, you should consider getting the Kenalog injection before the start of the hayfever season. You can also have a hayfever injection at any time after the appearance of hayfever symptoms.
The Kenalog injection is usually administered in the buttocks.
Usually, you can feel the positive effects of the treatment within 48 hours but it may take up to 10 days to see the full results.
The injection site may be sore for 24 hours but there are no other unpleasant common
side-effects to the Kenalog injection. You will be able to leave the clinic immediately
and go back to your daily activities as usual.
Occasionally, patients may experience dermal/sub-dermal atrophy or
changes in the make-up of the connective tissue and depressions in the
skin at the site where the drug was administered. Whilst Kenalog is safe and is
licensed for use in hayfever treatment, there are risks associated with any drug and
it is important that you understand these. Steroids are a powerful group of medications and
Kenalog carries the same potential for risks and side-effects as any other steroid. The
difference with an injectable steroid is that the side-effects would linger for at least
three weeks whereas with oral medication, any side effects would stop 24 hours after ceasing the
treatment. This will be discussed in more detail with you at your consultation with Dr Xavier
where you can ask any questions and be assessed for your medical suitability for the treatment.
The Kenalog injection can be an effective relief of hayfever symptoms for up to 6 months but generally up to 3.
In most cases, one dose of the Kenalog injection is enough to suppress the symptoms of
hayfever in the current hayfever season.
However, in more severe cases, the symptoms may persist. If this happens, you may choose
to have a second dose which can be administered a minimum of 14 days after the first
(this will be chargeable but at a reduced cost to the first treatment).
The first Kenalog injection costs £125.00 and this can be administered as soon as you have had a consultation if you do wish to proceed with treatment. Alternatively, you can have the consultation and take time to think about it and then have the treatment at a later date. If you require a subsequent treatment in the same hayfever season this will cost an additional £75.00.
