Coughing, sniffling, congestion are all symptoms we frequently associate with the common cold. However if they persist for weeks at a time or appear consistently within certain environments, they may be indicative of hay fever and caused by allergies instead of a virus.
Hay fever, scientifically known as Allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction triggered by airborne substances, often pollen released by trees, grass, or weeds. The greater the number of particles in the air, the more severe the reaction is likely to be. The symptoms are caused when the immune system enters a state of false alarm after mistaking otherwise harmless substances for threats. It’s biological response is to produce antibodies as a means of defense. During this production, a chemical called histamine is released.
Histamine increases vascular permeability, causing a fluid leak which compels symptoms such as a runny nose and watery eyes. Consequently, hay fever may be viewed as a biological miscommunication or an overreaction on the part of the immune system.
To prevent this adverse reaction, the sufferer may choose to avoid areas with a heavy concentration of the aggravating substance altogether, or they might medicinally control their ailments with drugs such as antihistamines. However, the symptoms might also be averted using a number of natural measures.
Prevention may begin as early as childhood. Studies have found that children who grow up on farms or around animals are less likely to develop hay fever. The early exposure to dirt and microbes could train the immune systems against harmful overreaction.
Some have sought relief in Chinese medicine hay fever natural treatments, eschewing the prescription based approach that is often used in the west. The philosophy behind traditional Chinese medicine says to treat the whole person and recognize hay fever as wind invading a body whose defenses have been weakened. For this reason a Chinese herbalist seeks to build the body’s defense holistically, using herbal formulas that are also taken to treat chills and body aches.
It is advocated that the Chinese medicine patient switch from coffee to alternating between green tea and black tea which are rich in catechin and anti-allergy properties. Radishes are also recommended for their cool, moist texture which can sooth dry eyes and sore throats.
Acupuncture hay fever natural treatments, another facet of Chinese medicine, has been used to naturally treat hay fever allergies with some degree of success. Thus far evidence has been encouraging, if inconclusive, that acupuncture can effectively stimulate the nervous system into releasing neurochemicals that can help to better regulate the body’s natural responses, including the overreactions that cause hay fever. In some studies, patients have seen a reduction of symptoms for up to eight weeks after an acupuncture session.
Hay fever can be a massive inconvenience for those who are susceptible to it. But with hay fever natural treatments and the sheer number of natural remedies available to help control the symptoms, no one should have to fear the outdoors.