Hay Fever Survival Guide

Signs of spring are everywhere; and after a long, cold winter, these signals of the warmer season are welcome. However, not everyone is comfortable breathing in the fresh spring air. Those who suffer from allergies tend to dread this time of year.

If you have an allergy, when you inhale pollen, your immune system generates antibodies called immunoglobulin E that trigger the release of chemicals like histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins. These chemicals eventually spread to tissues in the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Too much pollen exposure can cause the immune system to go haywire and trigger the hallmark allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, watery eyes, stuffiness, scratchy throat, wheezing, and coughing.

Allergies may also cause "brain fog." "Allergy symptoms often disrupt sleep and make people feel tired and groggy, your body can become weaker as it fights the inflammation triggered by allergies, contributing to fatigue and making it harder to concentrate and focus.

If the abundance of pollen doesn’t agree with you, here are some helpful ways to prepare for allergy season.

Be Prepared

Getting started early is the best thing you can do to prevent the worst of your symptoms. Even in the months before spring, you can start a regimen of allergy shots to help your body be prepared for exposure during the most difficult months. See your ENT specialist in the early spring to get ahead! Taking your nasal steroid spray a week or two before the point in the season when you typically experience allergies, has shown to be an effective course of action. Steroid nasal sprays can take a few weeks to start working, so taking them before you need them can help ensure you get the relief you need and many of these medications are generally available over the counter.

If you’ve left things too late, many people find relief from over the counter oral 24-hour antihistamines, such as Claritin and Zyrtec. Antihistamines with decongestants such as Zyrtec D can be used during the worst part of your season but don’t use for more than 7-10 days due to side effects of decongestants.

Decongestants. These are available as pills, liquids, and nasal sprays. They shrink tiny blood vessels, which decreases fluid secretion in the nasal passages, helping to unclog a stuffy nose. Oral decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) can increase heart rate and blood pressure, so check with your doctor before taking them if you have heart or blood pressure problems.

Nasal steroid sprays. These reduce inflammation that causes congestion, runny or itchy nose, and sneezing. People with glaucoma should take these with caution, as they can raise pressure inside the eye and lead to vision loss. Antihistamines and decongestants are sometimes enough to relieve allergy symptoms. If that is insufficient, then a combination of antihistamines and nasal steroids is the next step.

Drug free approach. One drug-free way to get relief from allergies is by rinsing your nasal cavity twice daily using a saline solution. You can do a nasal rinse using a small bulb syringe or a neti pot, which resembles a small teapot with a long spout. Both are found at most chemists and online.

Here's how a nasal rinse is done:

Stir two to three teaspoons of non-iodized salt (not table salt, which has too many additives) and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 2 cups of lukewarm distilled water. (You can use tap water, but always boil it first.) Another option is an over-the-counter sinus mix; add one packet to the neti pot and fill it with distilled water or boiled tap water that has cooled.

Pour the solution into a neti pot or pull it into a bulb syringe.

To rinse your nose, stand over a sink, bend forward, and tilt your head to one side. Insert the tip of the pot or syringe inside one nostril, and gently pour or squeeze the bulb to release about 1/2 cup of the solution. The water will run back out the nostril (or possibly the opposite nostril) and into the sink. Repeat the procedure in the other nostril. Perform twice a day until your sinuses are clear.

Thoroughly rinse (with distilled or cooled boiled water) and dry the neti pot or bulb syringe after each use.

Minimise Early Exposure

The instinct to throw open your windows during the first bout of warm weather is strong. However, this can introduce pollen and other allergens into your home where they can remain and cause flare-ups. If you can avoid this during the highest pollen count days, you can help manage your symptoms.

There are many websites that offer pollen forecasts so you can keep an eye on pollen levels. Find one you like and look back regularly. Knowing pollen and mold levels are at peak levels can help you decide when to stay indoors and when to venture outside. In general, pollen counts are lower in the early morning (pre-dawn) and begin to decrease by late afternoon. On rainy and cooler days, pollen is usually washed to the ground, so typically you will have a 24 to 48-hour reprieve. If you check pollen counts from your local weather service before leaving the house, you can make sure you’re prepared for symptoms.

Here’s a helpful pollen website for Australia. https://www.pollenforecast.com.au/

Use Your Glasses

Pollen is attracted to contact lenses, so try to only wear them on days of low pollen count. Itchy eyes is a symptom of allergies, and contact lenses can exacerbate this problem even more. Even those who typically use fortnightly or monthly contact lenses and suffer from hay fever can find it beneficial to switch to 1-day disposable contact lenses during this season. Since pollen can easily adhere to contact lenses, switching to daily disposable lenses allows for minimising hay fever-related eye symptoms. By replacing them daily, you can effectively alleviate the discomfort caused by pollen allergies.

For the people who only prefer to wear lenses, it is advisable to opt for non-ionic contact lenses or lenses made from materials that repel pollen. These lenses are less prone to attracting pollen and dust, leading to a reduction in allergic reactions. However, individual eye conditions and comfort preferences vary, so consulting an eye care professional is essential to select contact lenses that prioritise eye health and comfort.

Keep Clean

Your clothing, skin, and hair can carry the outdoor pollen into your house. As soon as you get inside, remove all clothing and take a shower to prevent spread throughout your home. If you start doing this early and often, you can provide yourself some symptom relief in your home environment. Don’t hang clothes outside to dry. While great for the environment, hanging clothes outside can lead to allergy symptoms as pollen sticks to the fabric. Hang clothes indoors instead or use a clothes dryer. Don’t track allergens through your home by wearing outdoor shoes indoors.

Also an early Spring clean can help safeguard your house. Dust, molds, and pollen can get trapped in ceiling fans, vents, and between piles of clutter. Before allergy season gets under full swing, clean up to prevent the circulation of extra dust that builds up throughout the winter. Keep your windows and doors closed. As tempting as it may be to welcome in the fresh air, if you suffer from allergies, keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible to limit pollen from entering. This includes not only windows to your home but to your car as well. Use the air conditioner or a fan instead. Also, check window and door seals to make sure they are tight.

Check Those Filters

Clean your air filters often, or use an air purifier. Pollen and molds get trapped in filters, so it’s important to clean them before and during allergy season. Keeping your filters clean will help prevent pollen from spreading through your home. Try a HEPA filter in your vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter helps suck up pollen, dust mites and dander in the home. HEPA filters may not directly help symptoms but do reduce the number of allergens in the home. Also, consider cleaning vents in your home.

Buy Local Honey

It may seem counterintuitive, but eating the product created by your local bees can help decrease allergic reactions. Other allergy-fighting foods include apples, pineapples, and fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon.

The theory behind using local honey for hay fever derives from the principles of immunotherapy. These ideas involve gradually exposing the body to allergens to build tolerance and reduce allergic reactions.

Honey’s anti-inflammatory properties are of considerable interest when it comes to hay fever. Honey contains various bioactive compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, which exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. These compounds work by preventing inflammation in the body, which may help reduce many of the symptoms caused by an allergic reaction (such as a stuffy or runny nose).

Honey also boasts a rich array of antioxidants, such as polyphenols. These antioxidants scavenge harmful free radicals – unstable molecules that may damage cells and trigger inflammation. By neutralising free radicals, honey may help protect cells and tissues from damage, reducing allergic inflammation (and allergy symptoms).

Local honey contains small amounts of pollen from nearby plants. By consuming this honey regularly, people believe the immune system becomes accustomed to the pollen, reducing sensitivity and the severity of allergic reactions over time.

Schedule an Appointment

Know when to see an allergist. If you consistently use allergy medications and try these other tips yet still suffer, make an appointment with an allergist. Also see an allergist if you are wheezing or have shortness of breath. An allergist can help pinpoint the allergens that trigger you. Once the person’s allergy history has been recorded, skin prick tests using allergens found around their home and work should be done. Blood allergen specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) tests may also be required. Test results should be interpreted by a doctor trained in allergy who will consider the person’s medical history. Some patients benefit from allergy immunotherapy, or allergy shots. Allergy shots won’t provide immediate relief and should be started several months before allergy season begins.

Keep in mind that allergy season tends to be longer and starts earlier than in decades past, so getting a jump start on your allergy prep can truly help you have a more enjoyable spring!