This morning, while out and about, I noticed that a couple of cherry blossom trees have come into flower in my neighbourhood. Spring is one its way! Finally!
While the idea of spring fills me with unbridled joy, it also means that hay fever season is upon us. And as a long-time sufferer of hay fever – like serious, lay in a dark room with a wet flannel over your face sufferer – I have learned a few things about preventing and treating it. I used to rely solely on drugs, but – as you will know if you’ve ever bought them – hay fever medication can be expensive – around £1 a day. And as you have to take the medication every day for it to be effective, this can work up to quite an expensive habit! Here are some less expensive ways to ease your symptoms.
Prevention is better than cure
An old saying but a goodie when it comes to hay fever. Do a good thorough spring clean inside before the warmer weather arrives and for regular housecleaning invest in a good vacuum cleaner with a Hepa filter specially designed for allergy sufferers to keep carpets and soft furnishings dust free; and dust your furniture with a good microfiber cloth. Also have a good clear out of clutter, especially piles of papers, as these act like a magnet for dust.
Pets
Pets can be a big irritant to hay fever sufferers even if you aren’t allergic to pet hair itself. Make sure your dog is wiped down with a damp cloth before coming inside to prevent the spread of grass seeds caught in his coat, and keep his coat cut short during the summer. Also keep him well groomed and bathed.
avoid grassy areas during the hours of 5 am to 10 am when the pollen count is at the highest level during the day
Hit the gym
Exercising outdoors can be the biggest culprit for aggravating hay fever. Hit the gym at the worst times of the year (watch the news for the pollen index the night before), and avoid grassy areas during the hours of 5 am to 10 am, as this is usually when the pollen count is at the highest level during the day.
Shed the pollen
When you come inside, change your clothes to ensure you leave your pollen-soaked clothes at the door, and take a shower if you’ve been out walking the dog or strolling it the park. Always wash your hair before bed to remove the pollen which will keep you sneezing all night.
Home brand meds
If you decide to take medication, check out the own brands from Boots and Superdrug, or even your supermarket. They contain pretty much the same ingredients as the more expensive brands, but at a much cheaper price.
Salt water spray
One of the reasons I hate hay fever medication is that it either makes me drowsy or dries my nasal passages out to the point of agony. I much prefer to use a salt water nasal spray, such as Sterimar, which is a pure sea water spray that gently moisturises and cleanses nasal passages. It helps keep the hay fever irritation at bay during the worst days and, as it is entirely natural, it has no lousy side-effects.
Do you have any other tips on beating the sneezes?
{photo: Ben Northern}
Let the bees help you! If you shop around and find some local (raw and unfiltered would be best) honey, eating it can help you fight allergies (the bees process the local flora and fauna in your area which will increase your tolerance to the things you are allergic to). This only works if the honey you buy is local (it won’t due any good to build up a tolerance to a weed or flower that doesn’t grow in your state).
Rather than spend on expensive “for hayfever” nasal blockers use “Vic” or, even more cheaply, Vaseline. They do exactly the same job – catching the pollen @ the entrance to the nose & cost way, way less.
I have never really thought about it, as I do not suffer from it. I should think that any money saving tip would be greatly received!!!
I use a humidifier a lot and I went to the doctors the other day and she told me not to use it anymore. Apparently if you are not cleaning the thing every singe day and really scrubbing it, then the it sprays out mold more than anything else. It will aggravate your hay fever, etc. So don’t use a humidifier unless you are cleaning it constantly.
@Fire Finder, nice tip, thanks for sharing!
@bluskygirl – I’ve read about that before but have never been able to find locally sourced honey. Thanks for adding the tip!
@Alison M – good idea, thanks for sharing.
For years now I have used a neti pot. It is a ceramic (or plastic) pot that looks a little like a miniature tea pot. The neti pot helps clear out all pollen from your nasal passages. During allergy season, I use it in the mornings and the evenings.
Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt (sea salt is better but table salt also works) into a full neti pot of lukewarm water and pour it through one nostril and out the other.
It takes a little practice and some getting used to but it is worth it. While the nasal spray bottles work, you keep having to buy them; whereas once you buy your ceramic neti pot, you never have to throw away and purchase again.
My friend is suffering from hay fever from few days. This post explains very useful remedies for the cure of hay fever. I will suggests all these remedies to my friends for her cure from hay fever. Thanks for sharing this useful information.