What is Hayfever or Allergic Rhinitis
Hayfever or allergic rhinitis is an acute flare up of a deep-seated chronic disease or health problem.
An allergic response occurs when the body’s immune system over-reacts to a trigger. With hay fever this is seasonal and triggered by the pollens which are produced by all plants, trees and flowers. With allergic rhinitis it may be due to dust, moulds, animal furs and things that are around there year round. In both conditions there is often a family history of asthma or eczema.
The immune system produces a hormone called histamine which irritates the mucous membranes or lining of the eyes, nose and air passages by drawing fluid to the site of the ‘attack’. This is what triggers the allergic symptoms such as redness, warmth, swelling, itching and tickling.
Allergic responses can include sinus congestion, headache, catarrh, eye and nose irritation and discharge, wheezing and asthma. It is very much an upper respiratory tract illness and the symptoms can be similar to that of a heavy cold.
Why do some people get hay fever and not others?
As homeopaths we know hay fever or allergic rhinitis are deep-seated conditions which have their roots in the miasmatic history of the individual. Not everybody gets hay fever so we know this is due to a person’s susceptibility. The constitution of the person and the dominant miasm will determine the nature of the symptoms.
Drug layers are also a big consideration for homeopaths. Allergies can be a condition that springs up in children as a complication of suppression of childhood illnesses and immunisations. It can also be a condition that suddenly starts on middle age as a result of chronic stress and reliance on medications such as painkillers to suppress symptoms. Drugs such as antihistamines and steroid nasal sprays can add a layer of suppressed energy which needs clearing as part of long term homeopathic treatment.
There has been an increase in numbers of children and adults suffering from allergic rhinitis and hay fever. This may be due in part to the increase in environmental pollutants.
Who is homeopathic treatment suitable for?
Homeopathic treatment can be of interest to people who don’t want to use conventional drugs such as women who are pregnant and those who are interested in pursuing a healthy lifestyle. It may also be of interest to people who have tried all the conventional medications without any success.
Why is it worth seeing a homeopath for a hayfever prevention program?
While it is often possible to find a first-aid remedy which will deal with symptoms as they appear, it is extremely unlikely that that such a remedy would deal with the genetic causative factor: this needs constitutional treatment from a professional homeopath over the winter months. I recommend that hay fever sufferers come for treatment at least twice a year. It may take 2 or 3 seasons to completely eliminate the hay fever symptoms.
So although commercial homeopathic preparations available in health food shops (such as Nelsons’ ‘hayfever mixture’) can be self-prescribed and are often helpful and relieve the symptoms of hay fever for a short time; for lasting relief it is necessary to treat the underlying chronic condition which is causing the histamine reaction. Constitutional treatment has the added benefit of boosting overall health and immunity . Another benefit is that by clearing miasmatic influences you may avoid passing on the same genetic inheritance to any children born subsequently.
How does the hay fever prevention program work?
I have done training with a very experienced homeopath called Tracy Karkut-Law. She has successfully treated many people for hay fever and allergic rhinitis and has developed a very effective program to reduce allergic symptoms.
The program is most effective when started in September or October when there is less pollen around. The program takes several weeks and uses a multi-faceted approach to target this deep-seated problem.
- Nosodes are a core part of the program and are needed to treat chronic disease tendencies .
- Constitutional remedies are used to strengthen immunity and overall vitality.
- Isopathy is the use of the causative agents of a disease to treat the diease. By using microdoses of pollen and other irritants we are able to de-sensitise the body and the immune system gradually builds up resistance to them. This is how we can dial down the over-active immune system.
- Sacodes or ‘body-own’ substances. Anti-histamines block the histamine receptors in the cells but then when you are not taking ant-histamines your histamine balance can become really dis-regulated so we use sarcodes to rebalance the histamine response
If you are interested in enrolling on the hay fever prevention program this year please feel free to book in for a 15 minute chat with me:
There are well over 70 remedies listed for hay fever and each one has its own individual picture: Below are some of the most commonly used ones as listed in Tricia Allen’s lovely book ‘Your Healthy Child with Homeopathy’:
Allium Cepa
Indicated when there is hot, burning discharge discharge from the nose and a bland watery discharge from the eyes.
Arsenicum
Indicated when there is a watery, burning discharge from the nose that makes the upper lip and nostrils very sore sore and red. The eyes may be sore and red too. The child may be restless and worse at night, after midnight. The child may suffer from wheezing.
Euphrasia
The symptoms are the opposite of Allium Cepa. The eyes are the most affected area and run copiously with a hot, burning, watery discharge that can make them red and swollen. The eyes will be better for cool bathing and worse in the sun. The nose may run too but the clear discharge will not burn
Nux Vomica
This remedy is commonly indicated for hay fever. The nose runs indoors and during the day but is blocked up at night. The child sneezes a lot, sometimes violently, and often has a an itchy nose and ears, wanting to bore right into them. The child will be very irritable with all these symptoms.
Pulsatilla
Indicated for hay fever with thick, bland discharges from the eyes or nose with some relief from cold applications. The nose runs when the chid is outdoors but the child feels stuffed up when indoors. Your child will be miserable and clingy and feel sorry for themselves.
Sabadilla
Indicated when the child sneezes a lot and has a very itchy mouth and nose. The eyes and nose may be runny and sore.