Hay fever

 

What is hay fever?

 

Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. It is caused by an allergy to airborne substances such as grass or hay pollen which affects the upper respiratory passages (nose, sinus, throat and eyes).

It usually occurs during the spring and summer months. From May to July, grass and flowers are in pollen, making these the most common cause of hay fever at this time. During spring, from March to May, pollens from trees are the most common. Weed pollens and fungal spores tend to be a problem for sufferers from late summer to autumn.

 

Who gets Hay fever?

 

Hay fever is very common. It often first develops in the teenage years. Symptoms return for a season each year, but eventually go away or improve in many cases. You are more likely to get hay fever if there is a history of allergies in your family, particularly asthma or eczema.

 

Symptoms

 

• Sneezing
• Headaches
• Itchy eyes, nose and throat
• Sleeping badly
• Watering eyes
• A blocked or runny nose

 

Tips

 

There are a number of things you can do to help reduce your symptoms.

 

• Keeping doors and windows closed when the pollen count is high
• Don’t cut the grass on hot sunny days
• Don’t drive a car with the windows open
• Avoid flowers in the house
• Take a shower and wash your hair after going outside when the pollen count is high
• Don’t put your washing outside if pollen count is high-pollen may get trapped in the fibres of clothes and bed linen
• Keep pets out of the house during the hay fever season if your pet does come indoors, wash regularly to remove any pollen from its fur
• Before you go bed, have a shower to get rid of any pollen caught on your body or hair
• Think carefully about holidays. Pollen levels may be lower on the coast because sea breezes blow it inland
• Stay away from areas where there is more pollen such as grassy parks, especially in the early morning, late afternoon and evening when the pollen count is highest
• Protect your eyes from pollen with sunglasses

Treatments

 

Although over-the-counter and prescription drugs have an important place in hay fever management, the Earlsdon Practice can also help!

 

Bowen therapy, for instance, can significantly reduce or, in some cases, completely clear the symptoms of hay fever - something which is often a surprise to many people! “People usually seek out the Bowen Technique for things like the old dodgy knee or aching back or frozen shoulder - not imagining it could have an effect on allergic and respiratory problems like hayfever and asthma,” says Penny Gibbings the Earlsdon Practice Bowen Technique practitioner.

 

Hay fever & Acupuncture

 

Research has shown that acupuncture can greatly help with the symptoms of hay fever and other allergies. By strengthening the body’s immune system and regulating the body’s antigen-antibody reactions, acupuncture lessens one’s susceptibility to allergies. In Chinese terms, it strengthens the Wei Qi – the defensive energy that blocks out pathogens such as pollen, bacteria and viruses. This is important in helping to relieve hay fever and other allergic reactions such as asthma.

Of equal importance, is the ability of acupuncture to help with the prevention of hay fever, as well as other allergies. Patients frequently report significant reductions and even elimination of their allergic episodes if they have treatment before the onset of the seasonal symptoms or early in the season.

 

Wouldn’t it be lovely to just wake up and be able to smell the roses this summer … without sneezing?

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know more please contact us here at the Earlsdon Practice by completing the form on our contact page.