Your Guide to Getting the Best Relief for Your Hay fever

Hay fever, which you could also call seasonal rhinitis or allergic rhinitis, is the outcome of the immune system overreacting to the presence of pollen in the air. Virtually everyone or age is prone to developing the fever, and it’s always a bummer when it comes knocking. 

If the symptoms are severe, you’d probably have to miss a few days of fun and excitement outdoors. Since spring is just around the corner, which is the usual hay fever season for most people, it’ll be great to get yourself ready. Here are a few tips to get the best relief for hay fever in case it comes knocking. 

Antihistamines

From the name “anti,” they work by inhibiting histamine action. Histamine is one of the culprits that promote allergic reactions, so it’s no rocket science that antihistamines are usually the first line of defense. Luckily, you can purchase antihistamines across the counter without visiting the doctor for a prescription. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, antihistamine pills should be enough.

However, if you’ve got hay fever Armageddon, you might need to get an antihistamine nasal spray as well.  Examples of pills include chlorphenamine, promethazine, and hydroxyzine. These pills have the potential to make you drowsy. So if you have an exam or important presentation, Telfast, fexofenadine, or loratadine will do you some good.

Nasal corticosteroids.

These nasal sprays work to treat and prevent hay fever-induced nasal inflammation, runny nose, and nasal itching. Nasal corticosteroids are very effective for most people and are also the first type of medication used when hay fever symptoms start to appear. 

Nasal corticosteroids include mometasone (Nasonex) and budesonide (Rhinocort). While these are available by prescription, you can also opt for Fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief) or triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24 Hour), which you can purchase over the counter. That’s if you are not feeling psyched about visiting the doctor. 

One of the good things about nasal corticosteroids is that they are safe for long-term use. However, they do leave you with an unpleasant smell and taste, which doesn’t last long.

Immunotherapy (Allergen shots).

You might want to try immunotherapy if oral medications are not your thing or you find that it’s not working. The bummer might be that you can’t administer this therapy by yourself; however, allergen shots are quite effective, especially if your hay fever symptoms are too many and severe. 

It might involve receiving injections containing a tiny amount of the hay fever-causing allergens. The idea is to get your immune system used to the source of your allergic reaction, thereby circumventing or significantly reducing the need for medication. It can be excellent for children as it helps in preventing asthma development.

Quercetin

If you are not a fan of pills and other related approaches to treating hay fever, you might want to try the natural route. Research shows that Quercetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid that helps in reducing inflammation. Unlike antihistamine pills and nasal spray that help to counter the effect of histamine, 

Quercetin tackles hay fever altogether by inhibiting the release of histamine. What it does is to stop the reaction in its tracks. To gain access to lots of Quercetin, opt for a diet such as berries, peppers, and of course, onions.

Biotin 

Biotin or B vitamin is fantastic for maintaining mucus membrane functioning. The Mucus membranes are the internal parts of your nose, throat, sinus, eye ducts, etc. If you want to have it the natural way, you can adopt foods like fish, offal, egg yolk, green vegetables, avocado, etc. You can also get biotin through supplements, which are usually fast dissolving and raid absorption tablets. Because they gain access to the bloodstream quickly, they offer faster relief from hay fever symptoms.

Local Honey. 

You don’t want to underestimate the power of local natural honey. Evidence shows that local honey is effective against hay fever as it naturally exposes you to some pollen, thereby promoting tolerance. The key to getting this approach to work for you is buying local natural honey, which may be a little hard to find if you are not looking at the right place.

Gin.

If you are a fan of alcohol, ditch the beers and red wine and adopt gin. Beer and red wine may not be good for you because they contain histamine. On the other hand, gin can help reverse some of the hay fever symptoms, such as itchy throat and runny nose. If you are happy to hear this as a lover of alcohol, you might also want to know that gin won’t totally cure you of the fever but will give you some relief.

Vaseline.

As the season approaches, you can apply a thin film of Vaseline inside your nostril to limit pollen entrance. It can also help in reading some symptoms such as the itchy and running nose.