Eina!! *sneeze*

It's that time of year again! One of the more painful injections I've had is unfortunately one I have to get regularly - the feared "hayfever injection". Well ok, maybe it's not that much more painful than any other injection, except that it has to be injected directly into muscle, and for some reason the nurses always decide to go for dear gluteus maximus (ie. the ass). I hate that. I find it strangely interesting & cool watching them inject me on the shoulder/upper arm, so I'm distracted & it doesn't hurt so badly. When getting it in the behind... ;-)... I suddenly imagine the nurse growing little horns & laughing evilly as she puts on an even longer needle & prepares to attack me viciously with it. Ok ok, I know, I need help.

Hayfever (an allergic reaction) is the result of an "inappropriate immune response" in the lining of the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis) and the nose (allergic rhinitis). Histamine is a chemical secreted in the ear-nose &-throat canals in response to contact with any chemicals/small particles that the body recognizes as foreign (ie. possibly harmful/a threat). Histamine triggers the blood vessels in the affected areas to expand, resulting in swelling of the mucal lining in those areas. The most common treatments are anti-histamines and, in severe cases, cortisol - both of which suppress the immune response and the accompanying symptoms.

Despite my complaints, I swear by the injection. I am an outdoor-sie person who loves nature, but I am allergic to grass, pollen, dust and cats (love cats too). Don't think its so bad with dogs, not that that would stop me. So I say "Bring on the needle!!!"