HAYFEVER/ALLERGIC RHINITIS
Many people suffer from allergies and one of the most commonly known allergies is allergic rhinitis mostly in the form of hayfever any time from spring up to and including Autumn. Tree pollen, dust mites, grass pollens, flower pollens and sensitivity to pet hair can cause people to feel rotten. The symptoms may include itching of the eyes, nose, palate, ears and skin along with watery sore eyes and a sore throat. Asthma can also be triggered. Congestion along with a runny nose make the patient feel like they have a cold in varying degrees. Hay fever affects peoples ability to concentrate at work, study and take exams and can be very unpleasant for pregnant women who cannot take medication.
Hayfever can be treated symptomatically with homeopathic remedies to give immediate relief and the patient can rest assured that they are taking a more natural medicine than the antihistamines often prescribed by the GP. They are safe in pregnancy. If the symptoms can be relieved by the remedies then the antihistamines may be saved for another time or event when the remedies are not to hand or not responding as well as you hoped for. At home you can try some of the remedies from the list below to treat your symptoms yourself. By consulting with a qualified homeopath however you will be better able to alleviate the symptoms on a more permanent basis as they work with you over time to build a picture of your individual characteristics and responses, rebalancing the immune system which has become oversensitive causing a reactive response and produced the symptoms of allergy. Taking a 6c several times a day as required is a good place to start, increase to 30c if necessary and if some relief has been received but the remedy still needs to be taken frequently. Relief should be evident after taking 3-4 doses even if it needs to be repeatedly taken. Try another if the first hasn’t worked or consult with a qualified homeopath . I know when I first tried a mix of remedies for hayfever back in my teens it didn’t work and I didn’t try homeopathy again for several years but when I did it was with a qualified homeopath and now I’m practicing the intricate medicine myself. So don't give up on homeopathy, you may need expert advice and prescription.
Allium cepa: watery discharge from the nose, can drip, leaving nose and throat sore and raw/red. Watery eyes. Violent/frequent sneezing. the voice can be hoarse and there can be a hacking cough. Better in the open air. Worse in the morning and indoors.
Arsenicum: burning watery discharge from eyes and nose, with tickling building up to a sneeze. Sneezing violent and painful with watery burning discharge, making the upper lip sore. May be restless especially after midnight.
Dulcamara 30c – Hay-fever with a profuse, watery discharge, worse in open air. May also have thick, yellow discharge from the eyes.
Euphrasia: Eyes burn, itch and water constantly. Runny nose with much sneezing. Common name is Eyebright. There can be the sensation of a foreign body (such as a grain of sand) in the eyes and they can become very gummed up and sore. The eyes feel worse for sunlight, at night-time, for windy weather and indoors, and better for the cool, open air. Euphrasia tincture can also be used as a local eyewash by diluting one drop in an eye bath of cooled sterile water. It is very soothing for sore eyes at any time – even if using a different remedy internally. Available from helios pharmacy.
Gelsemium: Dizzy & drowsy feeling with a blocked nose. Face hot and flushed. Weak and almost immobilized by the symptoms. Heavy eye lids.
Ipecac: Hay fever with chest symptoms, pale bluish complexion, asthmatic breathing, soreness of chest, sensation as if dust had been inhaled. Sneezing and suffocating cough, sometimes with nausea and vomiting.
Kali bich: Worn out by sneezing and coughing. Discharge from the nose tends to be yellowish green, sticky and hard to shift.
Lachesis: sneezing fits worse after sleep. Headache and dry stuffed sensation through the head, with red puffy face and sore nostrils and lips. The throat can also be sensitive, especially to pressure.
Nat mur:Hay fever with watery discharge from eyes and nose. Ear may become blocked with catarrh, too.
Nux vom: Prolonged sneezing fits, nose, eyes and face very irritated and hot. Itching extends to the throat. Eyes light-sensitive. Irritated, impatient and snappy. Body feels chilly.
Pulsatilla:Copious thick bland or yellow colored catarrh and sneezing. Relieved by open air. Not thirsty and worse indoors, and worse in the evening. There is a sensation of burning and dryness in the eyes and the lids can become gunky. Emotionally more sensitive, irritable or tearful, with changing moods. Physical and emotional states can also be very changeable from day to day.
Sabadilla:Catarrh with constant sneezing; sensation of great rawness, stuffiness & burning in the nose. Extremely sensitive to grass and flowers, which instantly cause sneezing.
Wyethia: Extreme, intolerable itching of the nose, palate & throat
strongly suggest the use of this remedy. Everything in the person’s head feels dry and irritated, but the nose may still be runny.
Helios Hay Fever Combination:This remedy is a mix of remedies available from helios pharmacy and covers irritated eyes and nose, sneezing etc. It is made by combining Allium Cepa, Sabadilla and Euphrasia.
Mix Pollens and Grasses:A combination made using a variety of pollens from plants, trees and various grasses which is often used in conjunction with Helios Hayfever Combination, on its own, or with any other indicated remedy. Available from helios pharmacy.