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Hayfever Causes & Remedies

Allergic rhinitis, more commonly known as hay fever, occurs when you inhale an allergen such as pollen, dust or animal dander. Hay fever is characterized by flu- or cold-like symptoms such as watery eyes, nasal congestion and sneezing, and is experienced by about 15 per cent of people living in industrialized countries. Treatment can include over-the-counter medication, alternative medicine and home-made remedies.

  1. Symptoms

    • Hay fever can encompass a wide range of symptoms. The most common of these are headaches, red and watery eyes, stuffy nose, impaired sense of smell, sore throat, sneezing, insomnia and itching of the nose, mouth, eyes and throat. Those with increased sensitivity to allergens may also experience rashes or hives. Hay fever symptoms are typically easy to spot, and start within minutes of inhalation or exposure. Hay fever allergy can be detected with a blood test measuring antibodies in the blood, or through a test that exposes skin to a minute amount of a known allergen.

    Causes

    • The causes of hay fever can be both hereditary and environmental, and often a combination of the two if an individual is genetically predisposed to react to an allergen. Hay fever is typically seasonal, triggered by plants that are pollinated by wind as opposed to insects, as wind-blown pollen is small enough to be inhaled. Plants most commonly associated with hay fever are trees such as pine, birch, alder, cedar, chestnut, poplar and willow. Grasses and weeds (including ragweed, plantain and mugwort) can also cause hay fever.

    Medicinal Remedies

    • The best treatment for hay fever is to avoid the allergen altogether. When that isn't possible, antihistamines can be an effective way to mitigate allergic reactions. A decongestant can also be used to reduce nasal inflammation, although a doctor may prescribe a type of steroid if the problem is severe enough. In the most severe cases, patients may be given allergy shots. Other remedies include antihistamine eye drops and vitamin C, which acts as a natural antihistamine to calm inflammation.

    Other Remedies

    • Hay fever has long been treated with a variety of home remedies and alternative treatments, although in most cases evidence of success is purely anecdotal. Among the more common alternative remedies are: honey and petroleum jelly; butterbar petasin, also known as bog rhubarb, which is traditionally used to treat migraines; various herbal remedies; psycnogenol, an extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree; green tea, which contains antioxidants that have a natural antihistamine effect; boiling chamomile in water and inhaling the fumes; Indian gooseberry; capsaicin, a chemical extracted from chili peppers; and dried nettle extract.

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