Break the Cycle of Hay Fever

Are you a victim of hay fever? Are you itching for a way to stop this condition? If so, this article is for you.

Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is a seasonal allergic disorder caused by a person's sensitivity to airborne allergens (allergy-causing substances) like pollen from weeds, flowers, grass and trees, molds, dust, mites, tobacco smoke and other air pollutants.

Contact with these substances produces a variety of symptoms in susceptible individuals like a watery nasal discharge, itchy watery eyes, frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, wheezing, and an itchy sensation in the nose, throat, and roof of the mouth.

"Some ultra-sensitive people sneeze 10 to 50 times in a row several times a day, becoming so exhausted they cannot work," according to Dr. William J. Davis in “The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.”

"Hay fever is more than just as nuisance. It affects the mucous membranes of the nose causing them to swell and become inflamed. It involves the sinuses and may cause bronchial irritation. Unless desensitized or heavily medicated, some hay fever victims spend a considerable part of the summer sneezing, rubbing itchy eyes and blowing the nose. These symptoms frequently interfere with sleep," added the late Dr. Morris Fishbein in his “Popular Illustrated Medical Encyclopedia.”

The only way to prevent hay fever is to identity the offending allergen and try to avoid this. This is not as simple as it sounds since some people are allergic to many substances and it may take a lot of expensive and time-consuming tests -- some of which may not even correctly identify the allergen.

To eliminate as many allergens as possible in your environment and break the cycle of hay fever, the following measures were suggested by Davis:

It is impossible to avoid mold spores but exposure can be minimized. Old, moldy, or mildewed books, furniture, and bedding should be discarded, and damp basements should be dried with dehumidifiers. Visible mold growths on basement and bathroom walls should be attacked with disinfectant sprays or liquids. Mold-proof can be used in place of wallpaper, and synthetic materials should be used for furniture and bedding.

Dander, or the scales shed from the skin, hair, and feathers of birds and animals, is a significant source of year-round allergy. In most cases, anyone allergic to pollen or molds is or will become sensitive to dander. This creates a wrenching dilemma for cat, dog, and bird lovers because allergists say the only acceptable pets for the dander-sensitive are fish and reptiles.

Dust-proofing should start in the most frequently occupied room of the house, the bedroom. The room should be rather Spartan, with no upholstered furniture, carpeting, Venetian blinds, bookshelves, or stuffed animals. Avoid bunk beds and canopy beds and enclose mattresses, box springs and pillows with allergen-proof coverings. Wet-dust the entire room daily.

In the rest of the house, frequent wet-dusting is also advised, along with weekly washing of scatter rugs and furniture covers. If the allergic person does the cleaning, he or she should wear a disposable surgical mask covering the mouth and nose.

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