Hay fever

Hay fever

Hay fever can generally be described as an allergic reaction to pollen. There are many symptoms associated with hay fever, such as irritated eyes, a runny nose, sneezing or a skin rash.

Hay fever is caused by an abnormal (or allergic) reaction of the body to pollen coming into contact with the nose, eyes or throat.

The body’s immune system over-reacts; it releases large amounts of a chemical known as histamine. Histamine causes itching, inflammation and irritation in the local tissue.

Pollen causing hay fever can come from grass, trees or flowers. In Europe pollen levels increase dramatically in spring as Nature comes to life.

At the Cork homeopathy Practice I often treat seasonal hay fever which usually occurs in the spring time. If the allergy is in chronic state it very often looks like sinusitis, in that case the patient needs constitutional homeopathic treatment.

Sometimes the person’s hypersensitivity is due the underlying state of a weak immune system.

Hay fever remedies include: Allium cepa, Ambrosia, Arsenicum, Arsenicum Iodatum Euphrasia , Medhorinum, Natrium Muriaticum, Psorinum, Sabadilla etc.

In the Cork Homeopathy Practice I also advise patients to use food to fight their reaction against pollen: Incorporate raw honey into your diet (locally produced if possible) with the addition of about 1/2 tablespoon of fresh bee pollen.  Introduce in your diet a high dose of vitamin C and fermented food such as sauerkraut and water kefir.

I also recommend natural antihistamine herbal tincture -Nettle tincture and to drink Nettle tea.

There are many homeopathic remedies that can help hay fever, here I will give description of some of these remedies:

AMBROSIA Artemisiifolia: (Ragweed) Severe allergies to ragweed. Hay fever with itching, watery eyes. Sneezing to the point of nosebleeds. Hay fever with a tickling cough, can develop into asthma. Allergic asthma. Reactions to allergy shots or allergy drops for ragweed allergy. Preventative, given before ragweed season, if person has a strong history.

Arum Triphyllum: Allergic reactions as if nerve endings in the nose are inflamed and irritated. Nerve endings in nose become irritated, numbness, tingling. Irresistible desire to pick nose even until bleeds, worm remedy. Sneezing without relief. Acrid blood streaked discharge. Children that must itch and pick at the nose. Children that are obstinate and irritable. Pain at root of nose, frustrated because itch is way back. Sneezing worst at night, much pricking in nose with desire to pick at the nose. Hoarseness, loss of voice, major remedy for laryngitis. High pitched, or screech. Raw dry cracked lip. Dull, throbbing headache, sneezing without relief. Soreness of nostrils, acrid, excoriating discharge, raw sores. Nose obstructed.

Arsenicum Album- Allergic reactions, hay fever and hives. This is major remedy for allergic asthma. Burning and redness in nose, eyes, throat, acrid tears and nasal discharge (Allium cepa). Tickling sensation in the nose, sneezing without relief. Burning acrid itching discharge, a lot of discharge. Skin of face is excoriated and red, esp. the upper lid, all symptoms are better by hot or heat. Hay fever with thin, watery, excoriating discharge, violent tickle on inside of nose. Skin irritated, scabs, sores, ulcers. Hay fever headache, throbbing aching in the forehead. Dull throbbing headache, sneezing without relief. Nose feels stopped up, burning, bleeding of nose. Burning of eyes with acrid lachrymation, lids red, ulcerated, scabby, granulated, painful inflammation of eyes.

Arsenicum Iodatum- Hay fever concomitant with swollen glands. Symptoms are more post nasal, excoriating discharge. Post nasal drip that causes sore throats. Hay fever coupled with sinusitis, thick yellow discharge. Symptom of rawness or burning way up in nose or back of throat. Symptoms worse by sneezing, headache and discharges. Nose constantly dripping. Thin, watery, irritating, excoriating discharge from anterior, posterior nares. Sneezing, irritation in nose with constant desire to sneeze. Nose swollen. Chronic catarrh, profuse, thick, yellow mucus. Ulcers of nose. Nasal mucosa sore, excoriated, aggravated by sneezing. Nose drips water, aching malar bones, burning in nose and throat. Discharge is thin acutely, thick chronically, thirsty, chilly.

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