Home remedy for hay fever

Home remedy for hay fever /
The nose runs, the eyes itch, the head hurts - the walk in the green is a torment. Here is the speech of hay fever. More and more people are suffering from it, more and more drugs that are supposed to combat these complaints come on the market. Before reaching for medicine, a variety of home remedies for hayfever can be used. Other names for hay fever include pollen allergy, pollinosis, seasonal allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

contents

  • Complaints of hay fever
  • Natural home remedies for hay fever
  • Bach flower therapy
  • Cool compress against itchy eyes
  • Manuka honey
  • Aloe Vera
  • healing stones
  • Black Seed Oil
  • propolis
  • Herbal tea for hay fever
  • Nasal rinsing and inhaling
  • eucalyptus oil
  • Colostrum and vital substances
  • Healthy eating
  • How hay fever arises
  • Pollen allergies increase
  • diagnosis
  • therapy
  • General measures
  • Take hay fever seriously

Complaints of hay fever

The symptoms of hay fever are manifold. Some suffer only from colds (rhinitis), while others suffer from itchy, burning and / or watery eyes, scratchy throat, difficulty swallowing, headaches and tiredness.

Hay fever can be associated with a variety of ailments. Typical are, for example, constant sneezing, watery eyes and a permanent runny nose. (Image: mkrberlin / fotolia.com)

For many sufferers, the quality of life is enormously limited. Recurrent sneezing attacks, runny nose and watery eyes can sometimes be very stressful. This is why people like to take medicines that have the reputation of helping very quickly. However, many of these remedies have side effects. So more and more people are choosing to go the natural route first and try home remedies for hay fever.

Natural home remedies for hay fever

Who suffers from a pollen allergy, does not have to resort to the chemical club. Because there are some good home remedies for hay fever, which can alleviate the symptoms, but can also have a preventive effect.

Bach flower therapy

A proven home remedy that helps with hay fever but also many other ailments are Dr. med. Bach's rescue drops. These are available in every pharmacy. Meanwhile, they are also available as a spray or globules. They contain five Bach flowers, adapted to so-called "emergency situations", which include an acute hay fever attack. Of the flowers in the Acute condition five drops are given undiluted on the tongue or mixed with a little water, swallowed swallowed. The spray is administered intermittently and the single dose of globules is five pieces. If this does not help, the gifts can be repeated once or twice.

Cool compress against itchy eyes

For eyebrows, a compress with eyebright helps. From a tablespoon of eyebright, which is doused with about a quarter of a liter of boiling water and should draw for five minutes, a brew is brewed. The herb is filtered off and the remaining liquid is soaked in sterile compresses, which are then placed on the eyes. This is particularly beneficial when the decoction has been cooled for a while in the refrigerator.

Manuka honey

The now well-known manuka honey is a very special honey and is well suited as a home remedy for hay fever. It is important to buy a certified honey with a high MGO content (methylglyoxal). The higher this value is, the stronger the effect. Manuka honey can be taken preventively, in the pollen-free period, but also in the acute stage.

As a precaution, it is recommended to take one teaspoon a day. In the acute stage, two to three teaspoons are taken throughout the day to provide relief for those affected. The honey should dissolve slowly in the mouth, so that it can be well absorbed by the mucous membranes.

Manuka honey is one of the proven home remedies for hayfever. Image: srekap / fotolia.com

Aloe Vera

An effective remedy for pollen allergy is aloe vera juice. This can be used both preventively, in the allergy-free time, as well as against the acute symptoms. When buying is to pay attention to purity. The prescribed intake recommendations are to be observed.

healing stones

The stone healing is still considered with very critical eyes. However, their application is a simple and always effective method to tackle a variety of ailments, including hay fever. Here is the amber recommended. This is always worn as a necklace or flattering in your pocket. It is also possible to produce a stone water from it. An untreated amber is put into good spring water for one night. Of these, several drops are taken throughout the day.

Black Seed Oil

Also preventive and intended for acute use, is the black cumin oil. This contains healthy fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects. You can take a teaspoon of the pure oil before breakfast or alternatively mix it with some fresh fruit juice or honey. Despite the nutty, spicy taste, most sufferers prefer to grab the capsules. For the application, pay attention to the package leaflet of the respective product. Again, the quality is very important.

Black cumin oil has an anti-allergic effect and can help against hay fever both preventively and in the acute case. The oil is also available in capsule form. (Image: hjschneider / fotolia.com)

propolis

Propolis is a well-known "all-round home remedy" and can also provide good services for hay fever. Propolis is a resinous substance that bees use to protect their hive from disease. What the bees can protect also helps people. In pollen-free time this is taken to survive the coming allergy without, or at least with a few hay fever symptoms. If this does not succeed, propolis helps to reduce the acute cold a bit.

Herbal tea for hay fever

Home remedies always include tea recipes. A recipe that helps with hay fever is the following mixture:

Herbal tea blend against pollen allergy

  1. Mix yarrow, milk thistle and nettle in equal parts
  2. Put a teaspoon of the mixture in a cup
  3. Brew the herbs with about 250 ml of boiling water
  4. Remove the infusion after about five minutes
  5. Three cups a day, freshly prepared, promise relief in hay fever

Danger: Such a tea cure should never last longer than a maximum of six weeks, after which a break must be made.

In case of a dry neck and throat scratching that many hayfever sufferers feel, gurging with sage tea helps. If the nasal mucous membranes are swollen, the inside of the nose can be dabbed with the tea. A somewhat unusual but helpful home remedy is to put a sage leaf in the nose - but be careful: this should not be pushed too far into the nose.

Nasal rinsing and inhaling

Nasal rinsing with saline solution is recommended so that the mucous membranes can subside slightly. For this is added to 500 ml of boiled water, a teaspoon of good salt (Himalayan salt, sea salt), the whole thing stirred and thus rinsed the nose. Finished nasal drops based on sea salt are available at the pharmacy.

A nasal rinse with sea salt helps to reduce the mucous membranes. (Picture: Picture-Factory / fotolia.com)

When hay fever is associated with bronchial mucus and cough, inhaling with salt water helps. A bowl is filled with hot, boiled water and dissolved in a tablespoon of sea salt. With a towel over the bowl is inhaled twice a day. The sea salt contributes to the swelling of the mucous membranes and the loosening of mucus.

eucalyptus oil

A soothing home remedy for hay fever is also a relaxation bath with eucalyptus oil. Of the essential oil, which should definitely be high quality, five drops are added to some cream and stirred into the water when the tub is full. The bath duration is about twenty minutes. After that, calm is announced.

Colostrum and vital substances

Colostrum is an ancient home remedy. This first milk is produced by all female mammals in the first one to three days after birth. It serves the newly born not only as food, but above all, to strengthen their immune system or build.

From the Colostral Milk drink solution or capsules are made, which also have a very special effect on us humans. So Colostrum is immune modulating, has a very positive effect on the intestine, has an anti-inflammatory effect and much more. Colosturm should be taken both preventively and in acute phases of hay fever. This is one of the few remedies that are used to treat a pollen allergy.

Zinc and vitamin C are generally important for the immune system. Possibly substitution can help to alleviate the symptoms.

Healthy eating

For hay fever, foods containing or releasing histamine should be avoided. These include preserved foods, aged cheeses, smoked fish, smoked sausage, soy, ready meals, bananas, pears, oranges, nuts, cocoa and chocolate.

The diet should always consist of fresh products and contain as many basic foods as possible. Likewise, it is necessary to think of enough fluid intake. Linseed oil is a recommended oil especially in an allergic disposition, which contains fatty acids that the body can not produce itself. It is important to listen to your own "belly" and to avoid foods that are not doing well.

For hay fever, foods with high histamine content should be better avoided. These include smoked sausages such as salami, bacon or ham. (Image: M.studio/fotolia.com)

How hay fever arises

In hay fever, the body reacts to certain bee pollen with an excessive, inappropriate immune response. Actually harmless intruders, which are not pathogens, such as birch pollen, are recognized as "foreign", an inflammatory reaction is the result. That means the immune system is over reacting. Messenger substances, such as histamine, are released immediately, causing the symptoms of allergy. The extent of the reaction depends on the amount of antigens that enter the body and on the initial situation of those affected.

The allergic disposition can be inherited. But even people who already suffer from eczema or bronchial asthma, for example, often develop a pollen allergy. In connection with hay fever, a so-called cross-allergy can arise. This is usually only the case when the allergic reaction to several pollen. For example, in the presence of an allergy to birch and hazel so-called cross allergy to nuts, pears, apples and cherries is possible. This sometimes causes problems outside of the pollen season.

Pollen allergies increase

Researchers around the world have been thinking about the reason for the increasing frequency of hay fever. For example, it has been discovered that increasing global warming is contributing to the pollen season of many plants becoming longer and longer. Warmer temperatures also allow plants that are not actually home to settle here. An example of this is Ambrosia (ragweed), a plant from North America. Ragweed can cause severe allergic reactions. In addition, due to the ever increasing air pollution and the increasing ozone content of the air, the pollen are becoming more and more "aggressive".

diagnosis

To diagnose hay fever and find out the pollens that trigger the allergy, there are various diagnostic methods. Often the prick test is used. Various allergens are applied to the skin and then light stings are applied to the skin with the lancet. Another test is the rub test. Here, the possibly allergy-causing substances are rubbed into the skin.

In the intracutaneous test, the allergen is injected into the skin, which must be monitored. Another option is the blood test. An elevated level of IgE (group E immunoglobulin) indicates that allergy is present, but does not necessarily say something about whether allergy is really present. In order to determine in the blood on which substances a person allergic reaction, the RAS test is necessary. Here, the blood can be checked for various substances. This test is unfortunately quite expensive and is therefore rarely used.

therapy

A causal therapy for pollen allergy is not easy. For example, here is the hyposensitization in hay fever, which acts like a vaccine. The affected persons are injected with the allergen in a certain period of time, at regular intervals and in an increasing dose. The hyposensitization may be carried out instead of as an injection also in the form of tablets or drops to be taken daily. This is especially suitable for smaller children, but not possible for all types of allergies. Hyposensitization usually lasts for years.

Otherwise, in the case of hay fever, medicines are prescribed to alleviate the symptoms. Decongestant nasal drops are the remedy of choice for colds. Against reddened, burning and itchy eyes help in eye condition suitable eye drops. Strong symptoms are treated with so-called antihistamines.

General measures

In order not to provoke hay fever in the first place, the stay outdoors should be reduced during the pollen season. Airing is carried out at low pollen load, in the cities best between 6:00 and 8:00, in the countryside between 19:00 and 24:00, or after a prolonged rain period. Outdoor sports are to be avoided. A day in an indoor pool, including sauna and relaxation, will do you good and noticeably reduce your symptoms. In the main months, a trip to the sea or in the high mountains is recommended because there the pollen load is much lower.

Pollen allergy sufferers should aspirate carpets and upholstered furniture as often as possible. (Image: mmphotographie.de/fotolia.com)

Pollen can also be found in premises, which is why frequent cleaning, with rags and water, is one of the important protective measures against hay fever. The duster stays in the closet, this would only worsen the symptoms. In curtains, carpets and upholstered furniture, the pollen tends to last longer. Better are floors that have been cleaned with water and furniture that can be wiped with damp cloths. A fan is not recommended, as this whirls up the pollen and distributed in the apartment. Upholstered furniture and existing carpets are vacuumed as often as possible with a vacuum cleaner that has an allergy filter.

In the bedroom there should be no clothes that were worn during the day. These land best in the same time in the washing machine. Also, the sheets should be changed as often as possible. After an outdoor day, washing your hair is recommended before going to bed, otherwise the pollen will end up in bed and be inhaled all night long. A relaxing bath before sleeping works wonders. Damp dusting and wiping is essential in the bedroom. A pollen screen in front of the windows reduces the penetration of pollen.

When traveling by car, pollen allergy sufferers shut the windows, if possible, and the air conditioning system should be fitted with a pollen filter that is replaced regularly. Good tips against hay fever are still regular sucking and wiping the car interior. Those who suffer from a pollen allergy and wear glasses should increasingly clean the glasses to free them from pollen.

During the pollen season, the laundry is best not dried outdoors, because the clothing is fresh, but carries pollen with it. Plants that are allergic to those affected are not in the apartment and the surrounding area. Pharmacies but also the Internet keep up-to-date pollen forecasts - so-called pollen schedules - ready, which make everyday life with hay fever quite easier.

Take hay fever seriously

If these home remedies do not help, you should definitely consult a doctor or alternative practitioner. From a pollen allergy, a more serious problem, possibly even asthma, can develop over time. The alternative practitioner always tries to treat the cause of hay fever or the allergic tendency of those affected. Thereby a variety of methods are used. For example, self-care therapy is more commonly used in naturopathy. Also acupuncture, foot reflex zone massage, diversion, phytotherapy and homeopathy are among the possible naturopathic treatment approaches against pollen allergy. (sw, nr, last updated on 23.5.2017)