WHAT IS HAY FEVER?
Sudden flare ups of constant sneezing, itching, running nose, itchy throat, watery eyes and crumpled tissues piling up on the desk and bedside table. What sucks is that spring is the beginning of beautiful weather and weather warming.
However, for some people it’s hay fever season! The beginning of constant nagging symptoms, and googling pollen counts on the internet. Taking medications, nasal spray steroids, just to get outside to enjoy a picnic with the family.
Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction that typically affects the eyes, nose and throat. Anti-histamines are a common hay fever treatment, as they block the release of histamine, responsible for allergy symptoms, but often stop working over time due to the body building a tolerance to their effects.
Spring, AKA hay fever season, can easily affect someone’s quality of life. We notice this trend in all our clinics… an annual flare up in our hay fever cases.
What are Hay Fever Symptoms?
Common symptoms of hay fever include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose (usually a clear, thin discharge)
- Red, watery eyes
- Itchy nose, roof of the mouth, eyes and/or skin, itchy throat
- Fatigue
- Blocked nasal passages (Stuffy nose)
- Nasal congestion
- Sore throat
- Blood pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Asthma symptoms
- Allergic symptoms
Symptoms of hay fever can be classified into two categories, depending on the time of year symptoms occur:
- Seasonal – symptoms are notably present in the months of spring and summer, when various plants, grasses and flowers release pollen. Seasonal hay fever usually starts during springtime when pollen counts increase. Triggering factors include tree pollen, which is most prevalent during early spring.
- Perennial – symptoms are present all year round and are generally worse at night or early in the morning. Year round, dust mites, cockroaches and pet dander can be bothersome. Dander may cause symptoms such as itching, redness, swelling, and skin irritation during allergy season. Fungi spores indoors and outdoors are considered both seasonal and perennial.
Hay fever or common cold?
Symptoms can look alike, so they can be hard to distinguish. The onset and duration vary from person to person, depending on their genetics and lifestyle choices.
Hay fever symptoms include runny nose with thin, clear fluid (mucus) may be accompanied by sneezing, itching eyes, coughing, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and/or dizziness. It usually lasts several hours, but sometimes up to 24 hours
A common cold usually begins when an individual contacts with a cold virus. It may take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear. Symptoms are similar, including runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills and malaise.
WHAT CAUSES HAY FEVER?
You use your nose like a filter. Tiny hairs and mucus lining the nasal passage trap dust, pollen and other microscopic particles. Hay fever occurs when someone has an allergy to certain types of dust (pollen) trapped inside their nasal passages.
When we say something has caused us an allergy, it means our immune system treats a harmless substance as though it were harmful, and launches an attack against it. The nasal passage becomes swollen and produces more mucous.
Most people know that pollen often causes hay fever, which is common, especially during spring. Pollen can also be responsible for reactions to grasses, trees, weeds and flowers that release it.
Although, there are other seasonal and year-round triggers that can cause symptoms of hay fever. Taking notice of when your symptoms of hay fever are at their worst can help pinpoint your triggers.
Seasonal symptoms are usually triggered by:
- Pollen (grass pollens, weed pollens)
- Plant phenolics
- Grasses
- Trees (including tree pollen)
- Flowers
Perennial (year-round) symptoms are usually triggered by:
- Dust
- House dust mites
- Moulds
- pets (Pet Dander, animal fur)
It is common for hay fever sufferers to experience mild to moderate symptoms of hay fever year-round due to perennial triggers, with symptoms becoming severe during spring/summer due to seasonal triggers.
Asthma Thunderstorm in Australia
It’s important for allergy sufferers to do all they can to prevent symptoms developing, not just because they’re obviously uncomfortable, but also because Hay Fever can lead to asthma and potentially exacerbate, particularly in the event of what is known as an asthma thunderstorm.
We tragically watched this play out in Melbourne in November 2016, when strong winds circulated pollen into the air during a thunderstorm, along with big raindrops that wet the pollen.
This combination of factors causes the tiny grains holding the pollen together to explode and release many particles that enter the air, which are so tiny that they lodge themselves deeper in the airways.
A big risk group here are immigrants from Asian countries, because they have not been exposed to rye grass pollens. In Australia, they can become desensitised to grass pollen allergens, but then on re-exposure they can develop hay fever.
MANAGING HAY FEVER
Knowing which allergens cause your symptoms is one way to manage them effectively. Your doctor might suspect an allergy if he/she finds something unusual during the physical examination. If so, then skin prick test (SPT) or allergen specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) blood testing may help identify the culprit.
However, often it may be difficult to identify the offending substance. In these cases, often patients will need to experiment, eliminating exposure to known allergens. This process can take a long time and doesn’t fit well with people who cannot easily remove themselves easily; such as a family pet, or living in an area with excess pollen.
TRADITIONAL HAY FEVER TREATMENTS
There are many treatments to combat hay fever, and specialist health professionals (allergy specialists) can recommend many effective treatment options. These allergen immunotherapy options can be all that’s needed in mild cases.
Some traditional oral medications and counter medications include;
- Allergy shots
- nasal sprays
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays
- Antihistamine tablets
- Postnasal drip
- Decongestant nasal sprays
- Decongestant tablets
Natural Hay Fever Treatment
At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland, we use a technique called muscle testing (or kinesiology) to help identify which substances you may be reacting to.
Following testing, you can work with your practitioner to address your reactions using a natural allergy treatment calledPositive Association Technique (PAT)as a natural hay fever treatment.
PAT is a non-invasive, holistic therapy, which:
- draws on acupressure and kinesiology techniques
- aims to retrain your body
- works to reduce your reactions to hay fever triggers
Some cases can be complex, so our Naturopaths may also recommend supplements, herbs and lifestyle advice to help you achieve the best long-term results.
Please note PAT cannot “cure” hay fever – we aim to reduce your reactions and help manage hay fever-related symptoms. We do not intend to raise unrealistic expectations. If symptoms persist, consult your health care professional.
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