What is Allergic Rhinitis or known as Hay Fever?
59I never heard of hay fever (allergic rhinitis) in my life till I got it when I was pregnant with my first child. It started with sneezing, runny nose, congestion, itchy eyes and itchy throat. If you never experience it, you might mistakenly think you have a cold. It is something you developed and you cannot prevent it. It brings misery to your daily lives. If you never had it before, count your blessing!
What triggers the allergic reaction in one’s body? Hay fever occurs when your immune system reacts to the airborne substance and produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E to attack it. It then releases the chemical histamine which causes the symptoms. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to the airborne pollen, grass, mold, fungi, and dust mites, etc. It usually happens around in early to mid spring. In some cases, it is genetic inherited. Everyone’s symptom is different. It can be really mild or severe. If you have Asthma, it can cause wheezing and breathing difficulties.
Is there a cure to hay fever? There is a huge over the counter (OTC) medicine such as Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, and Flonase. I find that nothing will help completely but it reliefs some of the symptoms. It provides you a better quality of life. Some Dutch researchers find that it is helpful to eat an onion or two a day might be the cure to hay fever. Some people suggest that exercise and vitamin might help. Others try home remedies such as honey, some essential oils.
Spring can bring joy to most people. For others, it brings misery. Hay fever can lead to Insomnia, Headaches, Tiredness (fatigue), and even Depression. If you suffer from the above, seek professional assistance.
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Alex, I don't know what I am allergic to anymore! My allergy is getting worse over the years. It can be because of my immune system as well. I wish there is something that can cure it! Thanks for visiting my hub and leaving me the comment.
I can suggest trying to avoid the effects of the pollen and dust particles by noting when your nose starts to run and eyes get rough. This is something I have practiced since I was young and it works every time. My background is living on a farm and you will be in the open and be exposed to these wind driven things.
If my nose gets runny I go to the bathroom and wash my face with water, and also inhale water from inside my hand through my nose and blow the contaminants out, crude it was seem, but, we all wash our hair, ears, and mouth, but never wash out our nostrils, and "out" is the key word not swallow. 99% of allergies start in the back of the nose and incubate there, and unconsciously we swallow the excretion from our sinus due to the irritation from this foreign matter, also the culprits, which eventually end up in our lungs stomach and then blood , and then the fever begins coughing etc.
So always wash out your nose with water, it does take practice at first.
You could also get a nasal sprayer and spray water up your nose and blow it out.
Save your money and don't waste it on medicine. h2o
Go well
HOOWANTSTONO,thanks for your suggestion. I should try it. I am to a point that I should try about anything now. My allergy is getting worse and worse. Thanks for your advice!
I forgot to mention, that you should make a practice of this, at night when you wash and in the morning after getting up. The swelling of the sinus should be given time to decrease as the irritation decreases. Some times even adding some bicarbonate soda "a small pinch" to some water in a cup and then sniffing that or dropping it into your nose if you cant sniff.
HOOWANTSTONO,thank you again!
Yes, I had it. It was very uncomfortable. I used Sudafed.
Thanks, tim-tim
Melinda, I am sorry to hear that you have suffer from hay fever too. Hope it will go away soon. Thanks, Melinda.
So many suffer from this, I have everything else so I am lucky to not have this...knock on wood, Great hub, thumbs up...
Great Hub!
Darlene, glad you don't have hay fever! I don't wish that upon my worst enemy! It is so horrible to have it. Thanks for visiting my hub:)
Thanks Michael:)
makes me wonder if i have it... the symptoms mentioned here i had experienced.
bingskee, you might have. It varies with different people. Some cases are servere, others are mild. You might have a mild case of hay fever. I might have to call the doctor and see if I can get a shot or something to help. Thanks for visiting.
My sneezing fits last a half hour sometimes, it's a real shame. The late summer is the worst time for me. Great hub.
Lang, sorry to hear that you suffer from that as well! It is too bad that there isn't a cure! Wouldn't life be more enjoyable if we didn't have hay fever? Thanks for the visit.
My allergic rhinitis is caused by something else - it's called "new building syndrome". I get allergic reactions every time I visit new buildings. I guess it's all the paint and dust and everything else floating around.
Thanks for this hub tim-tim!
It seems many people are having the problem with the pollen counts so high. Very timely hub.
Jill, I heard of that! There is a lot of chemical from the carpet and paint. Sorry to hear that. Hope you found a medicine that can help. Thanks for stopping by:)
Pamela,it is true that a lot of people suffer from hay fever. My son had it ever since he was a child. His is bad too. Thanks for visiting my hub.
Thank you for this wonderful seasonal informative Hub.
Great work!
Ron
as Always Also a2z50
Hi tim-tim. That's just terrible. Natural anti histimine's are garlic and vit c. I take garlic tabs in the morning which help to lower histamine level. Works really well for me. Are you allergic to milk? If no I use colostrum for my immune system. Excellent product. I use the pure colostrum in the powder form due to my allergies.
You have a really good day and thanks for your article.
Annie
Ron, thank you for stopping by. Glad you are not suffering from this:)
Anne, thanks for the information. I will try anything to help me get better!
Sometimes it may be that you're kissing the wrong guy. I've even heard of symptoms like yours caused by e-mailing the wrong guy. That may be a computer virus.
Drink 2 margaritas and go to bed- with a bearded old Veteran about 60. He should have a beard though!
Micky Dee, are you getting silly? I feel a bit better today. Thanks for visiting my hub.
Oh Boy the tree pollen here in Ohio is killing me and the meds make me so sleepy no matter what the claims. Beautiful time of year, thanks for this helpful hub. Peace :)
Katie, thanks for visiting my hub. I take Allegra D and that keeps me awake. If you take that, make sure you take it in the morning or the afternoon or you will be awake all night long. Hope you are feeling better. Mine is almost 100% better now.
A neti pot can be used several times a day. This is a highly effective treatment for sinus problems. Good luck, I know how miserable it can be.
Thanks for the tips,Lamme.
I've had hayfever all my life, so now I just tend to ignore it as I don't like taking hayfever medication. However, when I was a kid I used to get a rash on my feet and legs where it had come in contact with grass pollen, and only developed the more usual symptoms in my teens
CMHypno,thanks for your comment. I wish I can ignore it but if I do, my airway will be blocked. I don't want to take medication but it seems to be a temporary relief for me.
AlexK2009 Level 4 Commenter 2 years ago
Hay fever can be very specific. One time I used to cycle to work and could predict the exact point on my journey where I would stop or start sneezing.
One thing that may help is to be scrupulous about cleanliness in the areas where you suffer this allergic reaction, whether that is home or work.