As we are heading into May and very much into Spring perhaps yourself or someone in the family is starting to suffer with hay fever symptoms so I thought I would share on my blog what oils I find useful when battling this myself.
Hay fever is also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common condition that shows signs and symptoms similar to a cold with sneezing, congestion, runny nose and sinus pressures.
Hay fever is caused by an allergic response to airborne substances, such as pollen - unlike a cold which is caused by a virus. The time of year in which you get hay fever depends on what airborne substance you are allergic to.
Common symptoms of hay fever include Sneezing, Watery eyes, a blocked/runny nose and itchiness in nose and throat. For many sufferers that is quote enough but there are more severe symptoms that include the sweats, headaches, facial pain from blocked sinuses and even loss of smell and taste.There are many over counter medicines that people use to treat hay fever including eye drops, antihistamine or Oral corticosteroids. However it is now more commonly seen that body gets used to these medicines and they become less effective.
Holistic therapies can help as they treat the whole person from the physical symptoms to the emotional ones, treatment with alternative medicine such as aromatherapy, tends to move the pathology out of the body in a natural way rather than just covering the symptoms. Using holistic therapies as treatment are much safer long-term for the client as there are no known side effects that could cause further harm.
Some essential oil components are anti-allergic and can have startlingly good results when inhaled, added to a bath or massaged in with a lotion or vegetable oil. Two of the most efficient oils for allergies are Chamomilla recutita (German chamomile) and Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop).
German Chamomile has anti-allergic properties that are almost entirely due to one molecule called chamazulene. The chamazulene and bisabolol present in the chamomile are anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic, reducing histamine induced reactions such as anaphylaxis, hay fever, allergic asthma and eczema (Mills 1991).
Hyssop is the only oil we use in aromatherapy to have The Germacrene D molecule which is a sesquiterpene that has an anti-inflammatory effect on allergic tissue and is present in hyssop 2%. Due to this molecule Hyssop also helps with asthma which is a commonly associated with hay fever.
When looking into using essential oils for their many benefits please consult a trained aroma therapist who can advise you to their proper use and dosages and where to source good quality oils.
Alongside aromatherapy there are other therapies that can be utilised when battling with hay fever symptoms including Hopi Ear Candles which work by the warmth of the ear candles helping the pressure of blocked sinuses to be removed through the ears and restoring balance. They clear congestion, help with itchiness or discomfort in the nose and throat and also relieve headaches.