What is Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis?
Seasonal allergic rhinitis is also known as hay fever. It occurs because of substances in the air (such as pollen, weeds, molds, etc.), also known as allergens. Allergens cause your body to react with typical symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and/or itching.
Read about other drowsy allergy treatments here.
There are many options out there for treating allergy symptoms. Allergy medications come in pills, nasal sprays, injections, creams, and eye drops. Some of these medications are available over the counter, while others are only available with a prescription.
A new option for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
A new medication was recently approved by the FDA called Ryaltris®. Ryaltris® is a nasal spray, containing mometasone and olopatadine, used for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis to relieve the symptoms of congestion, runny nose, itching, sneezing, and watery, itchy, red eyes.
While Ryaltris® is a newly approved medication, the active ingredients mometasone and olopatadine have been around for a while and are already being used in nasal sprays you might recognize. Nasonex® is a nasal spray containing mometasone that has been approved since 1997, and Patanase® is a nasal spray containing olopatadine that has been approved since 2008. What makes Ryaltris® different is that it contains both active ingredients, mometasone and olopatadine, making it more convenient to use both medications together.
Mometasone is a corticosteroid medication. Corticosteroids work to relieve symptoms by suppressing allergy-related inflammation. Olopatadine is an antihistamine medication. Antihistamines block a symptom-causing chemical called histamine, which your immune system releases during an allergic reaction. Histamine can make you sneezy, itchy, and/or have a runny nose.
For hay fever, Ryaltris® is used by instilling two sprays into each nostril twice daily. Every time you get a new bottle of Ryaltris®, be sure to “prime” it by shaking the bottle well and push down on the pump quickly and firmly six times until the spray releases into the air. Make sure not to spray it towards other people or pets. You may have to prime the pump again if you don’t use the nasal spray for 14 or more days, but you can prime it with just two sprays in this case. As with any nasal spray, gently blow your nose to clear your nostrils before use, shake the bottle well before each use, and aim the sprayer away from your nasal septum (the wall between the two nostrils). Avoid blowing your nose for 15 minutes after use. After use, wipe the sprayer tip with a clean, dry tissue or cloth. For further instructions for use, see the resource listed below (photos included).
Ryaltris® should not be used for children under the age of 12. Don’t use Ryaltris® if you have had recent nose surgery, tend to get nose bleeds, or have a severe nose infection. If you struggle with seasonal allergies, talk with your healthcare provider to find out if Ryaltris® may help you.
Resources:
https://labeling.seqirus.com/CMI/AU/Ryaltris/EN/Ryaltris-Consumer-Medicine-Information.pdf
