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Natural hay fever remedies

Approved by our Clinical team | Mar 24, 2021

As the days get longer and warmer, there’s far more opportunity to get out of the house. There are all kinds of benefits to spending time outdoors. Being in nature is great for mental health, and getting sun on the skin lets our bodies make vitamin D, which is essential for bone and muscle health.

One downside of spending more time outside is that it can trigger seasonal allergies. If you have hay fever, you may be used to spending the spring and summer battling unpleasant symptoms like itchy eyes, sneezing and coughing.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for hay fever. However, there are lots of treatments available for managing symptoms, some of which are based on natural ingredients.

If you think you might be experiencing hay fever, read on for a list of the most common symptoms.

Symptoms of hay fever

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Sneezing
Runny or blocked nose
Coughing
Itching, redness, and watering in the eyes
Itching in the throat, mouth, nose, and ears
Losing your sense of smell
Headache
Earache
Feeling really tired

Hay fever treatments

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Typically, hay fever doesn’t require a visit to your GP, unless your symptoms are very severe. Instead, you can go to your local pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist about hay fever treatment.

The standard treatment for hay fever is antihistamines, which block the body’s release of histamine, the substance that creates the allergic reaction. These come as tablets, nasal sprays and drops. Antihistamines are available over the counter, or on prescription from your GP.

Another option is Ectoin, a naturally-derived treatment that creates a coating of water molecules, protecting the skin from irritation and inflammation.

Natural remedies for hay fever

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If you’re trying to manage these symptoms at home, you might want to try a combination of natural home remedies and pharmacy treatments like Ectoin and antihistamines.

Some natural home remedies that might help soothe your symptoms include:

Steam inhalation for a blocked nose – fill a bowl with hot water, put a towel over your head and the bowl, and inhale the steam
Honey and lemon for a cough – fill a mug with boiled water and add half a squeezed lemon and a spoonful of honey, then leave until it’s cool enough to drink
Pelargonium for a cough – this is a type of herbal medicine that may help to soothe a cough
A cold compress for irritated eyes – putting something cool over your eyes can help if they’re very itchy

Other ways to manage hay fever

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Putting petroleum jelly around your nostrils to trap pollen
Wearing wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes
Using an allergy reliever
Putting a pollen filter in your car
Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter
Showering and washing your clothes when you come indoors after being outside

It’s also a good idea to check the pollen count at the start of the day – if it’s really high, and you get severe symptoms, it might be a good idea to stay home and keep your windows and doors closed.