Northampton Wellness, Associates, LLC

HAY FEVER:
“IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN”

Q: Every year about this time I get hay fever. My nose starts to run and my head gets congested; my eyes become watery and itchy some days. Once or twice, it got so bad that my chest felt tight and I began to wheeze a little. What can I do about it?

A: It certainly sounds like you are experiencing the cardinal symptoms of hay fever, and may have had a touch of asthma, as well.

Every year, many plants that do not depend on the bees send large quantities of pollen into the air as a part of their reproductive cycles. These pollen grains are tiny, but have proteins (called antigens) on their surfaces which can have powerful effects. When inhaled into our breathing system, these antigen-laden particles can run afoul of the body’s immune system.

Our immune systems have special blood cells called mast cells which have their own surface proteins, called antibodies. When these antibodies “recognize” and bind to the pollen antigens – watch out! Histamine and other chemical messengers are released by the cells, and this starts a chain reaction of inflammation in the surrounding tissues, resulting in swelling and itching around the nose and eyes. Some people can also develop spasm, or tightening, of the breathing tubes at times. That’s asthma.

There are several reasons why some people experience hay fever symptoms: heredity (it often runs in families), exposure to irritants, emotional difficulties or high stress levels, and nutritional deficiencies. If you are not getting the nutrients you need, your immune system may not operate optimally.

It has been well-documented that emotional difficulties and high stress levels can heighten your immune system’s tendency to overreact, and increase susceptibility to the respiratory membrane’s injury.

You may also have food sensitivities or other allergies which lower your immune system’s threshold for developing hay fever symptoms. You may not be aware of these sensitivities at other times, but the combination of allergens in your system can create an “overload” phenomenon, resulting in symptoms. Milk, chocolate, eggs, corn, and citrus fruits are the most common “hidden” offenders. Or perhaps the feather pillow which seemed okay in the winter is now causing problems.

There are a variety of approaches to dealing with your hay fever. First, you can move somewhere else to avoid the offending pollens. This can be tricky. Besides the obvious hassles in moving, and difficulties in determining that your allergens are not present in the new locale, you may develop allergies to the pollinating plants in your new environment. It may be simpler just to stay indoors when the pollen count is high.

Often, people try to suppress the symptoms with a number of drugs, available over-the-counter or by prescription. Older “first-generation” anti-histamines, like Benadryl or chlortrimeton, block the action of histamine after it is released, but often cause side effects such as drowsiness, or dryness in the nose and throat. Sometimes a stimulant drug is added to the antihistamine, as in Actifed; this can add on other side effects, such as nervousness, dizziness, or insomnia. Newer anti-histamines, such as Allegra and Claritin, carry less side effects, but often stop working after awhile.

Stimulant nasal sprays like Sudafed can give “instant” relief, but this relief is temporary, at best. If used regularly, these sprays injure the lining of the nasal passages, resulting in worsening of your hay fever. Steroid inhalers cause relief by paralyzing the immune system. This can result in local infections, impaired wound healing, and dependency on higher and higher doses which might eventually cause serious medical problems. There is a nasal spray call “Nasalcrom,” which is safer and can prevent or diminish hay fever attacks if it is started early enough in the process, preferably before symptoms begin. It too has potential side effects, such as nasal irritation and headaches, and doesn’t work for everyone.

Unfortunately, none of these remedies “cure” the hay fever. They only block symptoms, allowing the underlying problem, the antigen-antibody interaction, to persist or worsen.

Find It; Treat It; HEAL IT!

There are two different methods presently advocated for changing the immune response to specific allergens. In the “standard” method, the physician first does a diagnostic “scratch test.” This is done by scratching the skin in various places and then putting drops of liquid containing specific pollens onto different scratches. Offending allergens will cause the scratch to become red and itchy. Increasing doses of the antigen are injected at weekly intervals for long periods of time, in an attempt to “overpower’ the immune system. There is a definite risk of serious, sometimes fatal, reactions to this therapy; and its track record of success is a relatively poor one.

Another method, practiced by allergists who practice Environmental Medicine, seems to be more successful. Severe reactions are extremely rare, and the pain and inconvenience of routine treatment injections is avoided.

Initially, intradermal skin tests are done by placing a tiny amount of the suspected allergen under the skin. Through a process called “titration,” the neutralizing dose for each allergen is determined. The neutralizing dose is that amount of antigen which removes the patient’s symptoms when it is administered. Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms at the time of testing, the dose can be independently determined by the pattern of the skin reactions, called “wheals.”

Once the neutralizing dose has been determined, a treatment solution for each pollen (or other allergen) can be prepared. Almost always, these treatment drops can be taken under the tongue (“sublingually”) at home. Up to ten antigens can be combined in one bottle, simplifying therapy for those with multiple allergies. The correct dose of antigens will just “match” the level of antibodies and eliminate the development of symptoms when taken regularly. In general, your level of reactivity will gradually decrease over the course of therapy, until the point where treatment becomes rarely needed, if at all.

Meanwhile, it is helpful to work on factors which underlie the tendency to develop allergy problems in the first place.

One can look for and treat coexisting food allergies which may be contributing to an “overload” phenomenon (see our food allergy article, for more information on that subject). One can avoid obvious irritants, such as cigarette smoke.

A balanced, nutritious diet is essential for proper immune functioning. It is important to take adequate amounts of unsaturated fatty acids – contained in fresh cold-pressed vegetable oils that have been properly stored (in the cold and protected from light).

It is usually helpful to supplement the diet with B-vitamins, bioflavinoids (such as hesperidin and quercitin), and vitamin C, in doses which will reduce your allergy tendency.

There are a variety of herbs that have been used over the years for hay fever symptoms. Stinging nettle, mullein, gentian, and calamus (sweet flag) root can been used for this purpose. Or try this temporary but effective remedy for nasal congestion: put a few drops of the oils of wintergreen, eucalyptus, and camphor into a pot of boiling water. Make a tent over your head with a towel, and inhale the vapors.

A generous dose of horseradish will also clear you out. This method has a small, but devoted band of believers. Likewise, some advocate cold compresses to the forehead or vigorous exercise for temporary relief.

Hay fever isn’t life-threatening or very dangerous, but asthma certainly can be. If your asthma has an allergic basis, as it frequently does, these guidelines may be helpful. Taking additional magnesium, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids (as found in fish and flaxseed oils), and other nutrients can be very helpful. But if you have more than the very slightest bit of wheezing or shortness of breath, you may need to use medicines which open up the breathing tubes. These will allow you to breathe comfortably while you work on a cure for the underlying problem.