Hay fever is a common condition that you have most likely had at some point in your life. The technical term for hay fever is called allergic rhinitis and it is a seasonal allergic reaction to pollen and particles that circulate in the air. Typically, this kind of condition is more prevalent in the spring months and especially when plants, weeds, and flowers are in full bloom.
What are the Common Allergens?
If you are to have a good understanding of hay fever, it is also important to know some of the most common culprits that contribute to the reaction. For starters, spring time is when snow melts and when all of the vegetation grows. For this, tree pollen is one of the most common allergens seen in the spring time and it is a leading cause of hay fever.
Not too far behind tree pollen is grass, which is heavily associated with allergies. Typically you can expect hay fever to take effect due to grass pollen in the later spring and all of the summer months, typically when your grass grows the most.
Other sources of hay fever also include dust mites, pet dander, outdoor spores, mold, as well as cockroaches (yuck!). While these are simply some of the common causes of hay fever, it is important to know what may be causing your allergies to be exaggerated.
Hay fever is an interesting illness in that it tends to closely mimic the common cold. Typically, adults have congestion, a runny nose, itchy eyes, sneeze often, unusual fatigue, and swollen eyes. These are only some of the common symptoms, but it is not unusual for adults to have fever-like symptoms as well.
It is a bit of a reach to tell you to simply avoid the sources that could be causing your hay fever, this just will not work. Surprisingly, one method to prevent and combat hay fever is to regularly see a massage therapist. What can massage therapy do for your symptoms? For starters, massage therapy can help to boost your immune system so that you no longer have the allergies from affecting your body. In addition, massage therapy can help to boost blood circulation throughout your body, relieve stress and stress hormones in the body, and lower the levels of histamine in the body (histamine is an allergen compound that is involved in the stress response).
If you have been suffering every year when vegetations are in bloom, consider giving massage therapy a try. Generally, massage therapists have a great idea on how to hit the areas of your body so that you can be inflammation free.
In addition to massage therapy, consider local raw honey to reduce the some of the pollen inflammation in your body.
At home fascial steams can be very helpful! Especially if your sinuses become swollen and stuffed up. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a simmer. Take it off the heat and drop a bit of eucalyptus essencial oil in before you lean your face over the pot. Cover the back of your head with a towel so all the steam and heat stays well isolated. Stay like this for up to 10 minutes. Try to take big deep breaths in through your nose until you cant any longer. Let your sinuses drain through your nose and after youre done blow your nose to get rid of any remaining mucus.
Lastly, consider speaking with your local pharmacist for more information on how to best combat hay fever in a holistic way.