How to prevent hay fever – plus the best remedies to soothe your symptoms
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Summer has so many brilliant things going for it – hay fever, however, is not one of them as anyone who is currently suffering from itchy eyes, a runny nose and a scratchy throat will confirm.
Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is essentially an allergic reaction to pollen, which explains why symptoms tend to be worse between March and September, when the pollen count is at its highest. And – sorry to break it to you – but living in a city doesn't make you immune.
Clarityn’s pollen consultant, Dr Beverley Adams-Groom, told GLAMOUR: "Some hay fever sufferers in London can be badly affected by the plane tree pollen season (a common species of tree that is wind pollinated), which has an average of 12 high days."
Not only that, but in a weird reversal of fortune, you may actually suffer more than those in the countryside thanks to the double threat of pollen and pollution. According to Shabir Daya, pharmacist and co-founder of Victoria Health, pollution mixed with the powdery yellow stuff can create a ‘super pollen’.
“When pollen flies through the air, it picks up diesel fumes – making it stickier when it enters our noses and a more potent allergen,” he notes.
So what can you do to take the sting out of hay fever?
Which hay fever medication is right for me?
As well as checking the daily pollen count on the Met Office website you can opt-in to receive handy push notifications via the app. But there are also plenty of hay fever relief products available, so remember if one type of medication isn’t working for you, your local pharmacy will be able to suggest alternatives.
Hay fever relief tablets and capsules are typically antihistamines - medicines that, according to the NHS, can be divided into two main groups.
The first group, which includes the drug chlorphenamine typically found in Piriton, makes you feel sleepy, so could be useful if hay fever is stopping you from nodding off at night.
The second group comprises non-drowsy antihistamines, such as acrivastine, cetirizine, fexofenadine and loratadine.
While no particular antihistamine is necessarily better than another at relieving hay fever symptoms, it's best to speak to a pharmacist for advice as not all antihistamines are suitable for everyone.
It might not be glamorous, but a nasal spray can also help. Sterimar Isotonic Nasal Hygiene contains sea water, which has been treated to contain the same salt concentration as our body's cells, to soften and loosen nasal mucus, clearing your blocked nose.
Products such as Optrex Actimist Double Action For Itchy & Watery Eyes can also help to make your eyes feel more comfortable by stabilising the lipid layer of the eye. Another bonus is that you can mist it onto closed eyes and it works its own way in at the corners.
“Homeopathy uses a principle of ‘like curing like’, so substances which cause symptoms in their crude form, can when much diluted, cure them,” explains homeopath Wendy Jackson. “Euphrasia and Allium Cepa can be helpful remedies, depending on your specific symptoms, and should be taken hourly for best effect.”
It's also worth remembering that hay fever is caused by the immune system reacting to pollen particles as if they were a harmful disease, so boosting your immune system to work at its highest efficiency is understood to reduce symptom.
Not only is vitamin C a natural antihistamine, but it also contains bioflavanoids, which act as a decongestant. Increasing your intake with food is preferable but there are plenty of supplements available on the high street, too.
And not forgetting, the time-honoured trick of adding a few drops of eucalyptus, lavender or Roman chamomile to a bowl of steaming water and deeply inhaling the vapours.
Ahead, some more easy solutions to easing hay fever symptoms…
1.Smear an allergy jelly or balm inside the nostrils
“This traps the pollen before it can get into the nose and trigger symptoms,” says Dr Rob Hicks, author of Beat Your Allergies. “Apply it before leaving home and reapply regularly throughout the day, especially after wiping or blowing the nose.”
We rate HayMax balm or a simple coating of Vaseline can help.
2. De-puff eyes
Pollen + eyes = itchiness, puffiness and pain. Reduce the symptoms you know are on their way by rinsing your eyes with lukewarm water as regularly as you can (just make sure your mascara is waterproof).
And if you're battling what consultant dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall calls ‘allergic shiners’ – swollen, bruised looking eyes from dilated blood vessels – consider investing in a pair of cryo balls.
Kept in the freezer, the ESPA Cryotherapy Globes drain away excess fluid and constrict blood vessels for less redness.
3. Stay inside in peak pollen hours
Remember, too, that certain times of day have higher pollen levels – typically the first half of the morning and early evening. So take the opportunity to sit outside around midday, as this is when the pollen count is at its lowest.
Changing up your workouts has been proven to increase motivation so swapping the neighbourhood runs for an at-home workout not only helps you avoid dreaded allergens but you might even enjoy the exercise more.
For overnight relief, it's worth investing in an air purifier that doubles up as a fan. As the name implies, the Dyson Pure Cool Purifying Fan chills a room and has a filter system that removes 99.95% of pollen particles before they have a chance to enter your system.
4. Keep calm and carry on
According to Harvard University, stress can exacerbate hay fever symptoms. It's not known exactly why, but it's thought that stress hormones make the immune system response to allergens worse.
But what is widely accepted is that de-stressing your body can ease hay fever reactions. Exercise, meditation or simply being more mindful about your stress levels can all help to lower them.
5. Avoid eating apples and melon
Just as some foods can help reduce hay fever symptoms, others can exacerbate them. ‘Oral allergy syndrome’, also known as pollen-food syndrome, occurs when the body mistakes the pollen structure of foods for that found in trees and grass.
A key fruit to avoid if you're allergic to birch pollen is apples, according to research, which can cause an itchy mouth and swollen tongue. Melon can trigger similar symptoms in those who are sensitive to grass pollen.
6. Limit alcohol - especially beer
Research from a team of Danish experts found that drinking alcohol increases the risk of allergic rhinitis; necking a single pint can up the chance of an allergic attack by 3%.
Other types of alcohol have been shown to worsen symptoms too, so it's best all round to stick to the mocktails.
7. Choose hypo-allergenic cosmetics
No-one wants panda eyes, especially come summer, so overhaul your make-up bag and choose hypo-allergenic cosmetics, which will reduce the risk of irritating already-itchy eyes and skin.
Try Victoria Beckham Future Lash Mascara, which is also humidity-proof and comes off with just warm water.
8. Include more anti-inflammatory foods in your diet
Ready your shopping basket for carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes as they all contain carotenoid. This naturally-occurring plant pigment has been proven to help reduce inflammation in our airways and improve the immune system.
One or two servings of carotenoid-rich foods per day should stand you in good stead.
Fatty acids and their anti-inflammatory properties also help to battle the symptoms of hay fever. Fill up on oily fish or walnuts and see itching, swelling and discomfort disappear.
Happily for lovers of garlic, this seasoning is an anti-inflammatory and has decongestant properties.
9. Wash your hair before bed
If you tend to shampoo and condition in the morning, change to a routine of washing your hair in the evening before bed. This will strip your tresses of any pollen that's settled on them throughout the day so it doesn't end up on your pillow until you next change your bedding.
10. Change your air conditioning settings
You might not be able to control the air outside but you can in your own car.
The experts at Allergy UK advise your air conditioning setting is on ‘re-circulate’, which stops the system pulling in pollen-heavy particles from outside.
11. Do a ‘nasal cleanse’
Use a saline solution, tip your head over the sink and either sniff it into each nostril from your cupped palm, or shoot the solution up your nose with a syringe.
“The benefit is that it dislodges pollen, which has attached itself to the lining of the nose,” Shabir explains.
Alternatively, try a neti pot. Originally an Ayurvedic medical favourite, this ceramic or plastic pot is used for nasal irrigation by flushing a saline solution through the nostrils in order to thin mucus and wash away allergen irritants. Click here to see one at work.
12. Wipe down surfaces
Dr Rob recommends giving your room surfaces a quick wipe down each day to prevent allergens in the air settling on furniture and causing you problems.
13. Get more sleep
A survey found that hay fever sufferers who got seven hours or more kip a night struggled much less with common symptoms than those who regularly slept less than five hours.
If you’re not getting enough, check out our guide for how to get to sleep and avoid hanging your freshly laundered sheets outside as the pollen in the air can linger on the materials.
14. Stay hydrated
The explanation here is that the better hydrated you are, the more moist the mucous membranes of your nose are, and that increases their chances of getting rid of allergens more easily. Drink up and your nostrils will do the hard work for you.
It doesn't matter whether you're a fan of Earl Grey kind or prefer a cleansing green tea to start your morning. Both are helpful weapons to have in your hay fever arsenal due to tea’s antioxidant properties that help calm inflammation.
Plus, you can also always pop used camomile teabags on your closed eyes for a soothing remedy.