Hay fever is a very common affecting many people in the summer months. It tends to be familial and occurs alongside asthma or eczema. It accurs where individuals are sensitive to particular substances, hence known as irritants or allergens and cold like symptons are produced in response. Spring and summer hayfever is likely to be be caused by allergy to flower, grass or tree pollens or fungus spores. However, other allergens which can cause more continuous hay fever are house dust or animal hair.

The symptons of hayfever are well known and can be severe. Initially there may be itching of the nose, mouth, pharynx and eyes, followed by nasal discharge and watering of the eyes. Sneezing may occur and nasal congestion can develop. Some people suffer from swollen eyes and face.

What Causes Hay Fever?

The nasal sinuses (cavaties in the facial bones) are lined with mucous membrane. During the inspiration of air, it circulates through these cavaties before passing through to the lungs. In hay fever sufferers, the mucous membrane is more sensitive than in the normal individual and it allows the passage of the allergens through the mucous membrane. Healthy blood vessels and mucous membranes have a fine structure which only allows smaller protein molocules to penetrate, such as those absorbed from the food.

The entry of the allergens causes an irritant reaction leading to the release of histamine. Histamine causes the swelling of the mucous membranes. Once the allergen has entered the blood stream, the eyes and face can become puffy.

Diet and Hay Fever

The diet can effect hay fever in 4 ways:

• Vitamins are essential to the proper functioning of the immune system and hence a balanced diet is important to the hay fever sufferer. A deficiency of minerals, vitamins or trace elements may occur through eating refined foods and insuffient quantities of fresh vegetables and fruit. Vitamins of particular importance to the hay fever sufferer are vitamin A present in vegetables, vegetable oils and eggs) and vitamin C (present in fruit and vegetables).

• An excess of foods such as milk and starches can result in the production of catarrh. Catarrh consists of protein and carbohydrate and the more protein and carbohydrate foods that are taken in the diet, the greater will be the tendency o catarrhal secretions.

• Certain foods can act as allergens in particular individuals, e.g strawberries and shellfish. Some people can develop an allergy to ordinary foods simply taking an excessive amount over a number of years.

• Additives and "junk foods" will raise the sensitivity of the immune system and so must be avoided.

Medical Treatments

The main aim of treatments of hay fever is to boost the immune system so that it can work properly and ignore the pollen.

There are three current forms of medical treatment:

• Densitisation. Infections of tiny amounts of bee pollen are given over a period of months before the start of each hay fever season. This is an attempt to acclimatize the immune system to small amounts of bee pollen so that it does not over react to it. This is successful to some people and there are no side effects in normal dosages, though an overdose may cause collapse and unconciousness.

• Injection of steroids. This can lead to vunerability to ordinary colds.

• Antihistamines. These can be bought over the counter in tablet form. They act by supressing the release of histamine. Can cause drowsiness.

• A high potency multi-vitamin tablet, preferably with minerals as well, will provide vitamins required for the effecient working of the immune system.

• The biochemical treatment for hay fever is a combination of 3 tissue salts: Mag Phos (magnesium Phosphate), Nat Mur Phos (Sodium Chloride) and Silica (Silicon Dioxide). They bring relief to itching eyes, itching throat and excessive sneezing.

• Homeopathic remedies include a high potency pollen tablet which may desensitise. Allium cepa can help streaming nose, eyes and severe sneezing. Euphrasia can also be taken for itching eyes and sneezing and nux vom for for irritation and congested nasal passage.

• Herbal remedies include garlic for catarrh and witch hazel for the eyes.