Hay fever is very common, it’s a seasonal disease called rhinitis. It occurs due to the pollen from the grass and weeds during the early spring and summer seasons.
It is caused by allergic response to outdoor and indoor allergens. Allergens are often common substances that the immune system in most people may react or reacts mildly.
Hay fever will not allow you to do daily works, it’s necessary to get treatment which can eliminate symptoms and reduce their impact.
Causes of hay fever
Hay fever occurs when the immune system mistakes a normally harmless airborne substance for a threat.
It is caused when our body makes allergenic anti bodies with certain substances such as pollen grains and weeds.
Pollen grain is the most common allergen which causes the allergic reaction certainly known as hay fever.
Some of the hay fever triggers include
- Weed pollen especially during fall
- Tree pollen in the spring
- Fungi and mold spores common in spring
Other most common include cockroach dust, mold and dust mites. Irritants can also lead to high fever such as perfumes and diesel exhausted fumes.
Diagnose
Your doctor may perform physical examination with the help of medical test as described below:
In blood test, blood sample is taken and sent to the lab to measure your immune system response to a specific allergen.
In skin test skin is pricked with a minute to known the substance of allergen.
Another skin prick test involves injecting an allergen under the skin and checking for a reaction after some time.
Symptoms of hay fever
Symptoms of hay fever are as follows
- Sneezing, Cough
- Running nose
- Watery eyes
- Lots of smell and taste
- Itchy throat
- Facial pain due to sinuses
- Swollen blue color skin under eyes
- Fatigue
- Post nasal drip
- Nasal congestion
- Shortness of breath
Treatment for hay fever
Although hay fever does not require medical treatment, it’s better to limit your exposure to the substances which causes hay fever.
Many people will get relief from the combination of allergy medications.
Eye drops
Eye drops may relieve you from itching and reduce the pain because it contains cromoglycate which helps in reducing pain.
Oral corticosteroids
Corticosteroids pills helps in reducing severe allergy symptoms. High dosage of these pills may lead to severe side effects such as cataracts and osteoporosis.
Antihistamines
Anti histamine can be used as pills or eye drops. This have effective relieve on running nose, itching and sneezing but have less effect on congestion.
This blocks histamine which is a cause for releasing chemical into immune system during an allergic reaction.
Decongestants
These can be available in prescribed liquids, tablets and nasal sprays. Over consumption of decongestants, May lead to several side effects such as it increases the blood pressure, insomnia and headache.
Oral decongestions include pseudoephedrine, and nasal spray includes phenylphrine.
Cromolyn sodium
It prevents releasing of histamine and helps in relieving from high fever. It doesn’t have any severe side effects and available in eye drops with a prescription.
Nasal corticosteroids
This helps in preventing the runny nose, nasal inflammation and nasal itching caused by high fever.
Nasal corticosteroids are safe and don’t have much side effects it just causes unpleasant smell and nose irritation. This is long term treatment for most people.
Nasal ipratropium
It helps in preventing the severe running nose and excess of fluid in the nose, but it’s not effective for treating congestion and sneezing
Mild side effects include nose bleeding and soar throats. And severe side effects include dizziness and difficult urination.
Leukotrine modifier
It’s a tablet to block the actions of leukotriene and helps in reducing allergy induced asthma. It’s often used when nasal sprays can’t be tolerated known as montelukast.
It has severe side effects such as headaches and also psychological reactions such as aggression, and depression and even causes to think of suicide some times. Better to have a doctor advice before using this medicine.
Other treatments include
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy may give long term relief by desensitizing to the allergens that trigger the symptoms. It is usually taken as allergy shots for the people who have severe hay fever.
Immunotherapy helps in remission of allergy symptoms and prevents the development of allergy symptoms.
Rinsing your sinuses
Rinsing will help you in relieving nasal congestion in an effective way and also inexpensive. Rinsing flushes out mucus and allergens from your nose.
Allergy tablets
Consuming allergy tablets may give you beneficial results instead of shots.
Alternative medicine
As we have many medicines and remedies for hay fever most of the people prefer some of these methods:
Herbal remedies
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Shrub butterbur
Butterbur shrub is a herb that helps in preventing seasonal allergy symptoms. Use the product which has named “PA FREE” which tells us that it is toxic free.
Other herbal remedies for seasonal allergies include honey, vitamin C and fish oil.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is also one of the herbal medicine which helps in preventing seasonal allergy symptoms. But it can be used in limited quantity because it has severe side effects.
Home remedies for hay fever
We don’t have complete cure for allergens but it can be reduced by limiting of exposure to them
- Close doors and windows in pollen season
- Use wrap around glasses to protect from pollens.
- Regularly splash the eyes with cool water.
- Wear hat to prevent pollen from collecting in to the hair.
- Should not have flowers inside your home
- Use a dehumidifier to prevent mold
- Quit smoking
- Try to keep all surfaces and floors as clean as possible.
- Shower and change your clothes after coming indoors to prevent pollens.
- Avoid mowing the lawn and racking leaves
- Use an allergy grade filter in your home ventilation system.
- Use a high effective particulate air filter in your bed room and other rooms where you spent a lot of time.
- Sweep food crump’s from counters and floors
- Block cracks where roaches can enter.
- Consider professional pest extermination.
- Keep pets out of your home if possible.
- Consider removing carpeting if and only if you’re highly sensitive to dust mites.
- Use allergy proof covers, matrices and pillows.
- Store food, including pet food in sealed containers.