Hay fever SELF HELP!
Local homeopath & naturopath Dawn Keyse offers advise to those who suffer from Hay Fever.
Hay fever is seen as an allergic reaction in individuals who are hypersensitive to the pollens of grasses, weeds or trees. This response is reaction of mast cells which release large quantities of histamine and other chemicals very rapidly, causing smooth muscle to contract and vessels to leak fluid in large quantities. This is an immune response.
If you are a person who experiences hay fever symptoms then you may be justifiably miserable while experiencing sneezing, wheezing, choking and dryness with the addition of watering, discharging, swollen eyes; swollen itchy palate and there may also be a rash.
An alternative practitioner regards hay fever as not just a simple acute situation but rather a flare up of a deeper, chronic state. We could call it ‘straw fever’ because ‘the culprit’ or allergen is really “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. The behaviour is the body flagging up that your system is on overload and needs a clean out. Just like a flashing light on the dashboard can signify that the car system needs flushing out and would benefit from an oil change. Taking anti-histamine type drugs is like cutting the wire to stop the red light from doing its job.
Of course you get desperate in the misery of the symptoms and you want to take anything that will relieve it. Before the symptoms get a hold this year take stock, drink more water, pay attention to other exciting factors such as poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Have a chat with an acupuncturist, a nutritionist, a naturopath, a herbalist, a homeopath. Take charge.
If you are already experiencing some of the signs and symptoms then homeopathic remedies can work with what your body is doing and move you through to a resolution to this episode quickly. There are certain remedies that may assist in a self-help way:
When the chest is mainly affected try Ipecac or Kali-Bich.
Where the focus is mainly nose and eyes and throat it may be Arsenicum (with much debility and with acrid discharge) or Euphrasia (profuse lachrymation).
If the catarrh is usually thick and you feel stuffed up and worse in stuffy rooms and possibly tearful, craving sympathy, wanting comfort food then all of these symptoms indicate Pulsatilla.
Allium Cepa covers many of the common symptoms of hay fever and is a good example of the homeopathic principle of ‘like cures like’ as it is made from an onion – so just imagine peeling a string onion and if it’s like that then try this remedy.
When trying these remedies out then you can use a 6c or a 30c potency and take then every hour or so when the symptoms are at their most limiting.
Other things you can try include:
Find a nearby bee keeper and get local honey, 1 tsp daily before and during the season. It’s especially beneficial taken in cider vinegar. Herbal teas of elderflower or yarrow some weeks beforehand. To soothe the eyes, use elderflower, eyebright, or chamomile compresses. Used chamomile teabags are ideal for this – keep them in the fridge. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
