Chronic Allergic Rhinitis is also referred to as Hay Fever. Actually it is not a fever but an allergic reaction to allergens in the air. It is an inflammatory disorder of nasal mucosa.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction that occurs in the eye and nose and allergens are mainly pollen.
Our bodily immune system can fight with the allergens, but a person with low immunity is more prone to get allergies and hay fever.
Interestingly, hay fever is not caused by hay and does not result in fever. Hay fever is just the name of allergic rhinitis caused by allergens and pollens.
In Ayurveda, it is considered a Vata- Kapha (fire-earth) imbalance in the body.
Causative Factors:
- Pollens from the outside environment (for example from flowers, crops, trees, etc.)
- Dust mites, animals dander, dust, mold, bakery items like wheat flour, yeast, etc.
- Mostly it is a seasonal bit in some people it occurs throughout the year.
- When the body is exposed to an allergen, then releases histamines to defend against the allergen and ultimately manifests with rhinitis-like symptoms.
According to Classical Ayurveda Texts, the causes are:
- Allergen
- Incompatible diets
- Decreased digestive fire i.e mandagni
Types:
There are two types
- Seasonal
- Chronic
- Seasonal rhinitis is mostly seen in spring and autumn, caused by environmental allergens.
- Chronic rhinitis occurs throughout the year and mostly due to indoor allergens like dust mites, paints etc.
An Ayurvedic perspective, it is caused due to the toxins (ama) present in the body, which aggravates the Kapha (Water/ Cooling potency) of the body leading to various symptoms. Ama (toxin) is formed due to our disturbed digestive fire. It is called as Vataja Pratisyaya.
Symptoms:
- Running nose (Nasa sraba)
- Watery eyes
- Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
- Frequent sneezing (Kshavathu )
- Headache (Shirogaurabhata)
Management of Hay Fever in Ayurveda
Ayurvedic management is aimed to treat the root cause rather than treatment the surface symptoms. The management principle for chronic allergic rhinitis is that we have to manage the disturbed digestive fire and balance the aggravated Kapha, improving the immunity of the patient. The combination of Ayurvedic herbs, diet, and therapies is aimed at nourishing and support to the lungs and respiratory system.
Panchakarma for Hay Fever
This Panchakarma therapy is the most effective therapy for nasal diseases and hay fever and this is available at Sunshine Ayurveda. Ayurvedic treatment of hay fever includes detox treatment to cleanse the sinuses and respiratory channels
- Nasya: It is the technique where medicated oil, powder or extracts of herbs is installed into the nostril after diagnosing the patient. Specific medicated oil or powder are chosen and massage is given on face and steam is passed over face (over the nasal and paranasal sinuses area) and forehead. After that oil is installed dropwise.
After the Nasya, Dhumpana (herbal fumigation) is to be done to alleviate the dosha (toxins)
Ayurvedic Herbs
Ayurvedic herbs and spices are very powerful remedies to heal the body and improve bodily immunity. Some of the popular herbs are
- Chyawanprash
- Sitopaladi churna
- Formulations of Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
- Formulations of Neem (Azadhirachta indica)
- Formulations of Shirish (Albezzia lebbeck)
- Formulations of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Ayurvedic Advice:
- Reduce: Heavy (guru) diets, cold foods, curd, milk products, swimming, alcohol etc.
- Increase: Lukewarm water, hot/warm soups, legumes etc.
- Home remedies at home: 1 teaspoon full Turmeric with Luke warm water can be drink frequently.
Yoga and Pranayama:
- Ardha chandrasana
- Setu bandhasana
Pranayama:
- Bhastrika
- Kapalbhati
Note: This article is for education purposes only. Please do not use this information for self-diagnosis and treatment. We recommend you to make an appointment with an experienced Ayurvedic Doctor for holistic management for Hay fever.
