How to Treat Hay Fever At Home

Hay fever occurs when your body reacts to tiny particles in the air referred to as allergens. The body reacts to allergens by releasing a chemical known as histamine when you inhale them through your nose or mouth. Both indoor and outdoor allergens can contribute to hay fever. Dust mites, pet dander, mould, and pollen from plants and trees are among the most common causes of hay fever. Continue reading for more information about hay fever and pollen allergy treatment at home.

Some of the symptoms associated with hay fever include wheezing, coughing, trouble breathing, nasal congestion, sneezing, and irritation of the throat, nose, eyes, and mouth. Hay fever is not similar to a common cold since it’s not contagious.

When do people usually get hay fever?

Hay fever can strike at any time of the year. Seasonal allergies like hay fever usually occur between March and September, during spring, summer, and early fall. This is when pollen counts are high and trees and weeds bloom.

Hay fever is caused by an irritant in the air reacting with your immune system. The irritants are so small that they can easily be breathed in through the nose or mouth.

In most cases, allergens are harmless. However, if you suffer from hay fever, your immune system perceives the allergen as an invader. In order to defend you, your immune system releases natural chemicals into your bloodstream. One of those chemicals is histamine. As the mucous membranes work to expel the allergen, they become inflamed and itchy.

How do you diagnose hay fever?

In addition to examining you and asking about your symptoms, your healthcare provider will check you for other conditions, such as a cold or asthma. Taking a blood sample and sending it to a laboratory for testing can be used to measure your antibodies for specific allergens. This blood test is known as an immunoglobulin E (IgE) test. It can identify all kinds of allergies, such as food allergies.

To determine what triggers your symptoms, take a skin prick test.

Check out our previous blog post to learn more about hay fever symptoms and treatment:

Hay Fever Treatment

Pollen allergy treatment at home

When the growing seasons are in full swing, pollen spreads throughout the air to fertilise plants. Pollen triggers allergic reactions in people with allergies when their bodies identify it as a threat.

You can ease pollen allergy symptoms through medical treatment, home remedies, and lifestyle changes.

To reduce allergy symptoms, a person can use various home remedies as well as preventative measures. Some of these measures include:

- Ensuring that you close your house windows when pollen counts are high.
- Filtration of air systems with special HEPA filters to prevent pollen from entering the system.
- Changing your clothes whenever you get into your house from the outdoors to minimise pollen exposure.
- Showering or taking a bath every night prior to going to bed to clear pollen buildup from the skin and hair.
- Washing your bedding at least once a week with hot, soapy water.



You can also try the following home remedies to combat pollen allergies:

- Drink herbal teas made with red clover, ginkgo, milk thistle, yarrow, or stinging nettles. The herbal preparations may generate anti-inflammatory effects. This in turn might minimise allergy symptoms.
- Use nasal saline irrigation devices to clear the nasal passages using salt and warm water.
- Take herbal capsules.

How to get pollen allergy treatment at home

A pollen allergy is quite common but it can be very irritating. You can be allergic to specific types of pollen or a number of pollens. An allergist or pharmacist can assist in determining which pollens affect you the most.

At-home treatments and medication are available to alleviate symptoms until the end of the pollen season. You can shop our range of products to help you treat hay fever and pollen allergies.

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This blog post was written on behalf of Chemist.net by Pharmacy Mentor.