How to survive during the hay fever season

Hay fever is an ordinary allergic disease, which affects up to one of five people at some stage of life. The most common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itching sensation in the throat, nose and ears and irritated eyes. These symptoms are the overreaction of the body on contact with pollen, whose values tend to be highest in the morning from March to October.

According to the News Agency of Slovak Republic about 20 percent of Slovaks are suffering from this disease. The most common triggers of allergic reactions tend to be:
- Grass - grass pollen is a major allergen and affects an estimated 95% of allergy sufferers (season begins end of May and lasts until the beginning of August)
- Trees
- Weeds
- Flowers

Some people suffer only from a mild allergic symptoms and rarely seek medical attention. However, for many the symptoms are so severe that they are unable to fully perform certain activities at work, at school or at home, and so these people require a treatment. Drugs might not completely help the body to get rid of the symptoms, but usually they help to mitigate the impact. Untreated allergic rhinitis in many case extends to asthma which is accompained by wheezing, feeling of choking, coughing or breathing difficulties.

To some people it appears that their symptoms improve by aging. However overall, it completely disappears by only 10-20 percents of disabled.

Tips to reduce hayfever symptoms:
- If you suspect that you suffer from hay fever, see your immunologist, allergist to examine and determine the allergen causing the trouble
- Every morning check the current polen appearness in your region at http://www.alergia.sk/pelove-spravodajstvo/verejnost/aktualne
- Keep the windows in your home and car closed, to avoid concentrations of pollen in the air, especially when the local values are high (if you have the option turn on your air conditioner and activite the inner air circulation).
- The best time for outdoor activity is immediately after rain or heavy showers.
- Avoid drying clothes on the balcony or outdoors.
- After arriving home immediately wash your hands and change clothes. It is recommended also to wash your hair every day before going to bed, so you can avoid transfering pollen to your bed sheets.
- Bed linen should be washed at least once a week.
- Wear sunglasses that protect your eyes, and in more extreme cases wear face masks, especially during the period of extremely high concentrations of pollen.
- Do not forget to regularly take your prescribed medication.
- Plan your vacation at a low incidence of pollen.

Phytotherapy recommends nettle tea cure for prevention. By drinking three cups a day, in the morning on an empty stomach, at noon, and before bedtime cleans the blood that promotes immunity of the body. It is further recommended to use the following herbs: smartweed, dandelion, hemp-nettle, horsetail, silverweed, calamus, quitch-grass, harvest-lice, Aaron's beard and garden heliotrope.

Sources for the article:
http://www.prealergikov.sk/texty/astma.html