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    Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

    My allergies get really bad this time of year because of all the lovely pollen floating about. My throat gets very raw and scratchy, my nose runs like Niagara falls, and my eyes itch and puff up. I'm already trying to use a lot of local honey to try and help my throat but other than that I have no clue. If I could actually function right now I would google it but I can barely type right now. If anyone has any tips or links they could post to help me out, I'd really appreciate it.
    (user formerly known as beckly_freckly)

    You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

    #2
    Re: Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

    Zyrtec with a side of sudafed and a chaser of flonase. Plus claratin drops for your eyes.

    Seriously, its too late for you to fix this now with herbs when you can trot to your local drugstore and get those three stat. Once you've extablished sinus normalcy though, there are preventive and supplemental measures you can take to prevent the likliness of it occuring again and minimize it if it does.

    Also, herbs are drugs. If you are doing this out of an effort to be more "natural" or to avoid "big-pharma" products...herbs are still drugs. When used medicinally (in amounts that will have medicinal effects) they have just as many contraindications, side-effects, and interactions with legit medications. Additionally, there are huge problems in dosage, in terms of standardizing the amount of active ingredients and preventing contamination. I've been practicing herbalism for over a decade, but I would never pretend that they should be the go-to for every (or even most) ailment(s)--at best, herbs should be used as a carefully researched means of prevention and as a supplement to evidence-based medicine (the use of certain herbs for certain ailments are clinically supported) .

    Your best bet is to simply to reduce exposure--hepa filters (real hepa filters, not the cheapo fakey fakes) for your AC/heat system, a HEPA vacuum to clean your home (especially if you have pets), and maybe even a portable unit in your work area if you can, allergen covers for pillows, mattresses, etc. Get rid of carpeting (stuff that holds allergens) if its an option, basically, have as little rarely washed or unwashable fabric things as possible in your home. If you are doing some hardcore triggering task--cleaning a garage, mowing the lawn, grooming an animal, etc (depending on your trigger), wear good PPE--a N-95, goggles (lots of allergies come in through the eye), etc. And go see an allergist--they might be able to do immunotherapy with you.

    1) Regular nasal irrigation--Get a neti pot. You MUST use sterile, boiled, or distilled water--DO NOT just use tap water...there are microorganisms that aren't caught by regular water treatment that (while okay to drink) can totally get into your system up your nose and deal you some serious hurt. Add 1 teaspoon salt (and optionally, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, also optional, adding 4 drops of eucalyptus oil) per pint of water--if you want to premix and store this, be sure to use a sterilized container/measuring stuff. Depending on how bad your allergies are, you may need to do this more than once daily. If they are mild, you might be able to get away with everyother day if you aren't having an attack. This basically rinses all the allergens out of your sinuses and thins out mucous. When you irrigate, use about 1/2 cup per nostril. For information about how to use this, if you haven't seen/done it before, you can find some really good diagrams and even videos. Rinse the neti pot and airdry between uses. Wash in a dishwasher or sanitize at least weekly.

    2) Butterbur extract (Petasites hybridus)--Do NOT grow this yourself to use and do NOT make your own extract; this is one you should buy from a reputable company, because the plant contains carcinogens that need to be extracted. Some studies show that butterbur has as good of a result at Zyrtec and allegra. Problem is, independent lab analysis shows that many of these products suck when it comes to quality control, AND there are long-term liver toxicity concerns. I would never, ever use this as an everyday thing.

    3) Local, unfiltered, unpastureized honey (even better still with the comb)--All this MAY do is introduce your immune system to a ton of local allergens in the hope that maybe it desensitizes your immune system. Evidence for this is quite poor actually.

    4) Stinging nettle leaf (medicinal tea or tincture)--If you take this at the very first sign of allergies, it may help alleve the symptoms. I know people that swear by it (people whose allergies to me seem quite mild compared to mine), but I can maybe say that it slightly helped--hard to say though, to predict whether or not something that hadn't happened yet was going to progress to outright miserable or just sort of meh.

    5) A product called Sinupret--its a mix of elderflower, sorrel, cowslip, verbena, and gentian root; which in some studies has helped with allergies and bronchitis symptoms. It didn't help for me at all.
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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      #3
      Re: Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

      Thank you! I used so much Nasonex that I ended up using the entire bottle. I just don't like taking medicines. I would rather drink tea or inhale something than swallow a pill or cold/allergy meds. Part of the reason is "big pharma" and the manufactured chemical aspect of it but mostly it's because I'm a giant baby and I don't like taking medicine.
      (user formerly known as beckly_freckly)

      You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

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        #4
        Re: Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

        Originally posted by RowanModig View Post
        Thank you! I used so much Nasonex that I ended up using the entire bottle. I just don't like taking medicines. I would rather drink tea or inhale something than swallow a pill or cold/allergy meds. Part of the reason is "big pharma" and the manufactured chemical aspect of it but mostly it's because I'm a giant baby and I don't like taking medicine.

        Are you *sure* it was Nasonex?

        Nasonex is a steroidal nose spray for seasonal allergies. It isn't something you take for an acute attack. Its something you use once a day for about 2 weeks before its even at maximum effectiveness. Drs recommend starting it several weeks before the allergy season starts, until its over (whatever your personal allergy season is). If you were using this to take care of an accute allergy attack, you weren't using it right.

        Meds need to be used per their label...as do herbs--they are still drugs.
        Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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          #5
          Re: Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

          The bottle says Nasonex. I bought multiple bottles and had other people buy some for me too. I'm still using it and have been since the other day when my allergies started getting really bad.

          Also, I'm a certified medical assistant and biller/coder. There's no need to lecture me on reading medication labels.
          (user formerly known as beckly_freckly)

          You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

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            #6
            Re: Herbal help for seasonal allergies...

            A bit late to the discussion I know, just thought I'd weigh in. Firstly, be careful with nasonex. It's good, but don't take more than the label says (sorry, but I'm conditioned by my studies to warn you ) both because it's not that healthy and I'm pretty sure you can overdose, but also because excessive use of any nosespray can actually make your symptoms worse by wearing down your mocus membranes - I took nasonex for a while and was told to be very weary of that.
            I'm just curious, does the honey seem to work? Because for me it makes it much worse. While I get the idea that exposure might condition your system to it, you might want to wait with that 'til after pollen season. I think you're getting plenty of exposure
            In addition to what Thal said, try to air out your home before sunrise and after sunset when there's a bit leds pollen around. Change your clothes often. and shower every night so you don't bring extra pollen to bed.
            I've heard some people had good experiences with accupuncture for allergies, you just gotta be sure they really know what they're doing.
            Honestly I take benadryl, and use the nosespray and eyedrops from the same company. Works for me. I like the ones that last for about 6-8 hours because I don't mind having to remember taking them, and they work with 15 minutes-ish. You can also get some that should last 24 hours.
            You remind me of the babe
            What babe?
            The babe with the power
            What power?
            The Power of voodoo
            Who do?
            You do!
            Do what?
            Remind me of the babe!

            Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

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