HAY FEVER: Manage with herbs and herbal therapies

Hay fever commonly called as “Allergic Rhinitis” is caused by an allergic response to various indoor as well as allergens such as Pollens, Dust, spores, animal or cloth fur and other occupational sources. It affects around 18% of the people in Australia including children and adults. The direct contact of eyes and nose with environmental allergens triggers the allergic response resulting into Allergic rhinitis. So what are these Allergens and what they do?

             Allergens are most commonly proteins or enzymes that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses (small air-filled cavities behind your cheekbones and forehead) to become swollen, irritated and inflamed. When you have an allergic reaction, your body overreacts to something that would be harmless for most people. Your immune system (the body’s natural defence system) starts to respond as if it’s under threat, and releases a number of chemicals including histamine. This results in swelling and inflammation. 

Hay fever symptoms include:

• sneezing
• a runny nose
• itchy and watery eyes
• Congested nose
• Snoring

                                                      “HAY FEVER IS NOT CAUSED BY HAY NOR IT CAUSES FEVER”

Hay fever usually begins in childhood or during the teenage years, but you can acquire it at any age. It affects nearly to 1 in 5 Australians at some point in their life, and is more likely to occur if there is a family history of allergies – particularly asthma or eczema. In fact, hay fever and asthma share many of their risk and trigger factors including a genetic predisposition to develop allergic reactions. The attacks of allergic fever may cause headache, restlessness, poor concentration, recurrent ear and throat infections.

According to Ayurveda, the lack of immunity and the favourable body constitution to allergies triggers the allergic reactions and the suppressed immunity is unable to defend with. An Ayurvedic practitioner classifies the type and intensity of allergic response based on individual’s body type and profile.

• Individual’s with vitiated Vatta dosha are more susceptible to sneezing, headache, insomnia, dryness of mouth and throat and generalised aches and pains.
• Individual with aggravated Pitta dosha would get more pitta vitiated symptoms such as burning and watery eyes, hives, throat pain and inflammation, feeling feverish and occasional gastric upsets.
• Individual’s with aggravated Kapha are more prone to get a runny nose, nasal block, sinus infection, itchiness, heaviness and lethargy.

              Therefore, the aim of Ayurvedic treatment and supplements is balance the aggravated Doshas and to build the immunity towards allergens for long time.

Ayurvedic management of Hay fever: The modern medical science provides only anti allergic and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat it symptomatically whereas Ayurveda unfolds the root cause of impaired response to allergens and manage to build the immunity.  Hay fever can be effectively managed with:

• Herbal medicines: Herbal preparation with ingredients that helps to raise the immunity level in natural way and improves the overall health status of an individual.

• Herbal therapies “NASYA”: Nasya is an Ayurvedic therapy which involve pouring of medicated Ghee/ oil drops into the nostrils. This helps in removal of accumulated toxins from the upper body and nourish the plasma & blood vessels triggered by allergic response. This therapy is very effective in management of ear, nose and throat diseases.

For more information and queries, or to book an appointment with our experienced health practitioner, call 0406066762 or visit our clinic at Rosny Park, HOBART.