Some useful suggestions for sufferers
• Don’t walk in long grass.
• Keep windows and vents closed in the car. If you drive a lot, air conditioning or an electrostatic air filter in the car’s ventilation system can help. If you have neither, turn off the ventilation.
• Keep windows closed as much as possible and hang net curtains to help trap any pollen.
• Stay indoors during peak pollen times – 7am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm.
• Avoid mowing the lawn during the daytime, as it creates clouds of pollen. Even better ask someone else to do it for you.
• Avoid grass and hedge cuttings.
• Wear wrap-around sunglasses to protect eyes when going outside.
• Avoid stroking pets that have been outside – they may be carrying pollen on their fur.
• Shower and wash hair after being outside to eliminate all traces of pollen.
• Avoid contact with cigarette smoke; wearing perfume is not a good idea.
• When planning holidays, remember mountains tend to have fewer flowers, and pollen counts are lowest by the sea.
• Itchy eyes can be bathed in a solution of Euphrasia. Put one drop in an eye-bath of water. NEVER put tincture directly into your eye.
• Applying a cold pack on the nose and face can help inflamed nasal membranes.
• Try splashing your face with cold water, or sniffing cold water up through your nostrils to soothe the inflamed membranes.
• Cut out all dairy products and wheat if you can for the duration of the hay fever season. These are the most likely food allergens, which may aggravate your symptoms.
• If you have to blow your nose, do so gently. Hard blowing can burst the grains of pollen, which increases their irritant effect.
• Putting Vaseline inside the nose to stop pollen settling in the lining of your nose.
• Use an ioniser indoors. Ionisers give off a negative charge which can help to reduce the amount of allergens in the air.