Can pollen actually prevent itchy eyes and runny noses and what works best for hay fever? These questions are asked by more and more people who suffer from such allergic reactions in the spring season and before the beginning of summer. Although this condition has no cure, some antidotes and measures may prove effective in relieving symptoms. If you or your children are affected by seasonal allergies, you can find out below what the most common treatment methods are.
Why do allergy symptoms occur and what helps with hay fever during pollen season?
Time spent outside in late spring and summer can be really challenging for many allergy sufferers because of annoying symptoms. These most often include sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, redness, itching and watery eyes,irritated throat, mouth or ears. Fatigue, cough, loss of smell, headache and earache may also occur. In addition, those affected can suffer if they have an allergic reaction to pollen. These are microscopic particles that plants release during the pollen season. The contact of these tiny particles with the nose, eyes or throat triggers an immune reaction in allergy sufferers. This usually manifests itself with irritation, swelling and inflammation.
Despite the conditions described above, a visit to the doctor and what helps with hay fever is usually not necessary unless you have serious symptoms. In such cases, people usually go to the pharmacy and get tablets or nasal spraysagainst pollen allergy. In addition, standard treatment includes antihistamines. These block the release of histamine in the body, which alleviates its allergic reaction.
There is also an alternative and natural treatment option with ectoine. This is a layer of naturally formed water molecules that protects the skin from irritation and inflammation. Cortisone injections also help in very serious conditions, but these are often associated with side effects.
What steps and natural remedies help with allergic reactions?
It is also possible to relieve the symptoms of hay fever with home remedies. To do this, you can combine natural products and alternative treatments such as ectoine with antihistamines and see if this works for you. You can also try to get your symptoms under control, for example by doing steam inhalation at home if you have a stuffy nose. To do this, you need boiling water on the stove and a towel over your head to inhale the steam. Another method is to use honey and lemon for cough. To do this, you need to mix a spoonful of honey and the juice of half a lemon in a cup of hot water, let it cool down and drink it warm. Extracts of the geranium plant are also known to be able to relieve cough symptoms as a herbal medicine.
In addition to conventional eye drops, cold compresses can also help with irritated eyes. As for symptoms of an irritated nose, you can apply petroleum jelly around your nostrils to trap pollen. It is also recommended to wear wrap-around sunglasses as eye protection during pollen season. If you also often travel by car, you should wipe off dust in the interior and try to install a filter against poles.
As a preventive measure, using a HEPA filter when vacuuming would also be helpful. Also try to shower and wash your clothes after every time you spend outside. You can also check the pollen forecast before you go out. If the pollen count is intense, you should keep doors and windows closed and stay at home when possible.
Which allergens should you pay attention to and what immediately helps as an alternative for hay fever?
Some people can experience symptoms of hay fever not only in summer, but also in spring or autumn. This is because every immune system reacts differently to types of pollen. Some of these include tree pollen that occurs in spring, grass pollen that occurs between late spring and early summer, and pollen released by weeds in late fall. In addition, some other factors influence the immune response, such as other allergies, skin problems and asthma. These can also be genetically inherited. The risk also increases if you are in daily contact with allergens such as house dust mites and animal hair, as well as some substances.
However, many of those affected also find that their symptoms improve with age. About half of them report some improvement after a few years, while in 10 to 20% of people the symptoms even disappear completely. There are also many treatment options, and what helps with hay fever also depends on personal habits. As a rule, the methods described above cause fewer side effects than modern medicine. Otherwise, you can also consider the following measures to feel immediate relief:
- Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet to strengthen your immune system. This will help your overall health and keep you in better shape during pollen season.
- Make sure you drink enough fluids or water throughout the day. This is an important measure as hay fever could lead to dehydration.
- Stay active and exercise, even if it has to be in the gym or with exercises at home because of your allergic reactions. Regular exercise can help your body fight off infections in many ways. This happens, among other things, by strengthening the function of the immune system and reducing stress. The latter can also cause your body to react more violently to allergens.
