Complete Guide to Home Remedies for Allergies - An Herbal Perspective

By Nick Cavanaugh

During the springtime many people start experiencing seasonal allergies. And many others experience allergies year-round. What are the underlying reasons for these allergies, and what are the options for relief? I'll be exploring these questions in this article. I hope it's helpful - please reach out if you have any questions!

Contents:

• What are allergies?
• About pollen, mold and other allergens
• Why do people get allergies?
• An herbalist's view - herbal energetics and allergies
• Natural allergy relief with home remedies
• Herbs to support our bodies
• Medical treatment for allergies
• Closing and references

 

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What are allergies?
Allergic rhinitis is an inflammation of the lining of the nose, usually characterized by one ore more of:

• Nasal congestion
• Nasal discharge - often copious, clear and thin
• Sneezing
• Conjunctivitis
• Itching[1]

Chronic persistent rhinitis may include:

• Nasal blockage
• Loss of smell
• Nasal hyper-reactivity[1-1]

Are the allergies acute or chronic? Chronic allergies will be more difficult to address, and we recommend speaking with a clinical herbalist to help resolve the underlying patterns of dysfunction that may be contributing to discomfort.
Perennial (year-round) allergies may be due to dust, mold, cockroaches or animal dander.[1-2]

 

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About pollen, mold and other allergens
Respiratory allergies are often triggered by:

• Pollen[2]
• Mold[2-1]
• Dust mites[2-2]
• Animal dander[2-3]
• Cockroaches[2-4]

Generally the following account for pollen allergy sources, though it varies by region:[2-5]

• Winter and spring - tree pollen
• Late spring to mid-summer - grass pollen
• Late summer to early fall- herbaceous plants such as ragweed

When it's rainier, tree pollen tends to be lower vs. dry weather.[3] Seasonal allergies are getting worse with seasonal changes associated with climate change.[4]

In Vermont, during "mud season" (the bridge between winter and spring), the dampness could lead to mold growth and mold allergies. Increased rainfall, humidity or flooding could contribute to this.[4-1][5] However, in many areas mold growth typically peaks in the summer due to the combination of both heat and humidity, especially the Midwest and Southeast U.S..[6][5-1] A damp autumn could continue to spur mold growth, though cold temperatures decrease mold activity and mold tends to become most dormant during the winter.[5-2]

If you believe you may be sensitive to mold and are exposed to it, addressing this with indoor air quality is very important.

 

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Why do people get allergies?
Allergies are basically a hype-reactivity of our body's immune systems. Ordinarily a strong immune response keeps our body healthy, but an over-activity to allergens causes harmful and uncomfortable inflammation in the nasal passageways.
Herbalists have some unique insights into why allergies may be relatively common in our modern day-and-age:

• Pollution and toxins: We are exposed to a greater degree of pollution and toxins that can overload our body's natural detoxification systems, leading to greater background levels of inflammation
• Stress: Stress is a major factor for a lot of people. This is confirmed by modern research linking chronic stress and allergic diseases.[7]
• Lack of sleep: a natural, balanced immune system is dependent on regular, healthy sleep.
• Hygiene hypothesis: This idea is that as our world has become more sterilized, and people spend more time indoors, our immune systems have less opportunity to adapt natural healthy responses to environmental factors due to lack of exposure.[8] This interplays closely with:
• Micro-biome deficiencies: Due to dietary factors, stress, over-use of anti-biotics and more, modern peoples' micro-biomes in their gut and throughout their body is often altered from a more natural state. The micro-biome plays an important role in immunity because it is the first line of defense with the outside world. Research has shown its important role in modulating immune function, and the role it can play in allergic diseases.[9]
• Dietary factors: Traditional medicine systems have drawn connections between the kinds of food that people eat, inflammation and allergies. Some foods are known to be mucous producing, like dairy for example, or associated with more "heat" in the body, i.e. inflammation.

 

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An herbalist's view - herbal energetics and allergies

From the herbalist perspective, symptom patterns can be differentiated in terms of patterns that correlate with key "energetic" states, especially heat, cold, dampness and dryness.

In Unani ("Greek") medicine (also known as "Tibb") allergic rhinitis results from an excess of heat, which is either with dampness or dryness. This leads to irritation and inflammation in the mucous membranes.[2]

Herbalists typically assess energetics of symptom patterns through various means, and we recommend speaking with an herbalist if you'd like to find out what pattern matches your experience. It can be especially helpful to get an outsider's perspective given that often symptoms can point to patterns in conflicting or confusing ways.

However, for a general overview, these are some common associations with upper respiratory symptoms as detailed by herbalist Jim McDonald in an excellent article on sinus health:

Signs of dampness:

• Excess nasal discharge
• Watery eyes[10]
• Sore throat from post-nasal drip[10-1]
• Cough[10-2]
• Sneezing[10-3]

Signs of dryness:

• Lack of nasal discharge
• Dry mucous membranes[10-4]
• Nosebleeds[10-5]
• Sense of obstruction[10-6]
• Dry eyes[10-7]

Signs of things being stuck and stagnant, more of a chronic condition, i.e. chronic sinusitis:[10-8]

• Thick mucous[10-9]
• Swelling[10-10]
• Inflammation[10-11]
• Sore eyes[10-12]
• Headache[10-13]
• Easily overstimulated[10-14]
• Brain fog[10-15]

To address these various symptom patterns, herbalists may incorporate some of the following (again as detailed by Jim McDonald, mostly):

How to address dryness:

• Drink more water[10-16]
• Mucilaginous, demulcent herbs[10-17]
• Rub oil inside the nose[10-18]
• Nasya oil - especially to reach deeper tissues, sinuses
• Netty rinses

How to address dampness:

• Astringent herbs[10-19]
• Aromatic herbs[10-20]

Remedies for stuck and stagnant states:

• Aromatic herbs[10-21]
• Steam inhalations[10-22]
• Nasal rinses[10-23]

 

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Natural allergy relief with home remedies

The following are general suggestions. We recommend speaking with an herbalist for individual support and guidance.

Tend to the indoor air environment and reduce exposure

• Spring cleaning
  • Removing build up of dust and debris can contribute to healthier indoor air environments.
  • Dehumidiers or air purifiers for mold, animal danderHEPA filters can sometimes be added to a/c or heating units to reduce indoor allergens. Some people use indoor air purifiers for specific rooms as well. Dehumidifiers are important if mold is an issue.
• Close windows when pollen counts are high
  • Lookup pollen counts for your area online to see when this may be an issue.
• Bathe before bed and/or change clothes after being outdoors to remove pollen
  • These can help to reduce exposure
• Avoid cigarrette smoke
  • This can inflame and irritate the respiratory passageways
• Wear a mask
  • When outdoors on pollen-heavy days consider a mask to reduce allergen exposure
• Use hypoallergenic home products, such as bedsheets and pillows, and laundry detergent
  • If people are sensitive to things like dust mites or artificial cleaning products, using hypo-allergenic alternative products may help
• Use a humidifier or take a hot shower
  • For dry, congested states, these may help to resolve mucous.
• Aromatherapy
  • Inhalation of some essential oils can help open up the airways and improve breathing. Add a few drops to an essential oil diffuser to bring this benefit to a room.

Make dietary changes

According to Mills and Bone in their authorative Principles and Practices of Phytotherapy "herbalists believe that diet can create a state of hypersensitivity and catarrh of the mucous membranes that predisposes to rhinitis." [1-3]

Possible dietary factors could include:

• Dairy
• Wheat
• Salt
• Refined carbohydrates[1-4]

To address these possible factors, the suggestion is to avoid excessive consumption, and " complete exclusion of one component (e.g. dairy products) should be tried for at least 2 months, or prior to and during the allergy season."[1-5]

Dietary steps to take

• Improve digestion
  • Digestion is closely related to allergies for many people, from the herbalist point of view. Consider seeking ways to improve digestive function to address allergy symptoms.
• Diet changes
  • Consider reducing "heating" foods such as very spicy foods or fried foods, as well as looking into potential food sensitivities, i.e. from wheat, corn, soy or dairy
  • For "damp" allergic conditions (i.e. copious mucous production), reduce "damp" producing foods such as dairy, soy or refined sugar and carbohydrates
  • For "dry" allergic conditions (i.e. inflammation without mucous, dry irritated eyes) increase water consumption along with good quality fats
• Pro-biotics
  • Due to the link between the micro-biome and the immune system, many allergy-sufferers will benefit from increasing pro-biotic foods or supplements in their diet, i.e. two servings of two different fermented foods/day. Note that not all people tolerate pro-biotics well - talk to an herbalist for guidance.
    
• Honey
  • While local, raw honey has not been conclusively found to reduce allergy symptoms, it does coat the throat and relieve irritation in the throat.
    

Use topical remedies

• Nasal rinses
  • Nasal spray bottles available at most pharmacies, or try a neti pot. Nasal rinses can help to remove allergens from the nasal passageways. Herbs can sometimes be added for added benefits. Talk to an herbalist about this.
    
• Steam inhalation
  • To clear out congestion bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove it from the heat and once it's cooled to a tolerable level lean over the pot, put a towel over your head, and breath for 10-20 minutes. If it feels too hot and is burning wait for it to cool. Can add 1-2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, or a pinch of peppermint for extra support. Talk to an herbalist for specific herbal recommendations for you.
    
• Hot compress
  • For sinus congestion or pain it may be beneficial to apply a hot compress (i.e. rag soaked in hot water) over the sinus area for 10-20 minutes

Seek ways to de-stress and get good sleep
These can go a very long way in reducing allergy symptoms. Talk to an herbalist if you need support.

 

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Herbs to support our bodies
Ideally someone would start their remedies 6 weeks before the season starts and continue it through the season.[1-6]

We strongly advise talking to an herbalist for individual advice on how to support your body during allergy season. These are some of the ways herbs are used:

Healthy mucous membranes

Mills and Bone state that "traditional herbalists have stressed the importance of healthy upper respiratory mucous membranes." [1-7]

Demulcent herbs such as marshmallow can help to soothe dryness and irritation in the upper respiratory tract.
Astringent herbs such as elderflower can help to dry up copious nasal discharge.

Immune support
Immunomodulating herbs such as reishi mushroom can help to modulate the immune response over time, helping to prevent either under or over-activity of the immune system.[8-1] Reishi is not advisable for some individuals: talk to an herbalist for advice.

Support detoxification pathways
Herbs such as nettles, dandelion and burdock can help to support our body's natural detoxification pathways, i.e. through the lymphatic system or liver, and this in turn can help reduce background levels of inflammation and promote clearing of foreign substances from the body.

 

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Medical treatment for allergies
From the herbalist point of view it's better to address underlying causes rather than symptoms. However, when needed there are a number of medications that can help.

Over the counter medications can help relieve allergy symptoms:[11]

• Stuffy nose
  • Steroid nasal spray such as Nasacort
    • Can also help with red, itchy, watery eyes
  • Nasal or oral decongestant (i.e. Afrin or Sudafed PE)
• Itchy, watery eyes; sneezing; or a runny, itchy nose
  • antihistamine, like fexofenadine (such as Allegra) or loratadine (such as Claritin)
• Pain
  • Acetaminophen or ibruprofen

When to contact a doctor:[11-1]

• Pain in the sinus area or symptoms of sinus infection
• Symptoms get worse and don't know why
• Other attempts at management haven't helped
• OTC medication is causing side effects
• Fever or ear pain
• A cough or cold lasts longer than 1 to 2 weeks
• Severe itching of eyes or nose
• Allergies disrupt your life
  

 

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Closing

Sesonal allergies can be tough - I hope this has been helpful information for you! Please contact me with any questions, and feel free to reach out if you'd like to schedule an herbal consultation. Be well!

By Nick Cavanaugh.  Nick is a clinical herbalist at Railyard Apothecary.  Learn more about Nick and other clinicians here.

References

1. Mills, S., Mills, S. Y., Bone, K. (2013). Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone.
2. Health Library. (2021). The University of Vermont Health Network. https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/wellness-resources/health-library/hw34011
3. Local 22/44 News. (2020, May 21). Pollen levels spike as warm and dry weather remains. Local 22/44 News; Local 22/44 News. https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/pollen-levels-spike-as-warm-and-dry-weather-remains/
4. Climate Change and Pollen, Mold and Air Quality. (2016, July 18). Vermont Department of Health. https://www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/climate-health/pollen-and-air-quality↩
5. http://www.facebook.com/restorationmasterfinder. (2019, September 5). When is Mold Season? | 24/7 | Mold Remediation and Removal Services. RestorationMaster. https://restorationmasterfinder.com/restoration/when-is-mold-season/
6. Seasonal Allergies: A Month-to-Month Guide to Your Allergies - Manhattan Allergist | New York Allergy Doctor | Hudson Allergy. (2017, January 18). Manhattan Allergist | New York Allergy Doctor | Hudson Allergy. https://hudsonallergy.com/seasonal-allergies-a-month-to-month-guide-to-your-allergies/
7. Dave, N. D., Xiang, L., Rehm, K. E., & Marshall, G. D., Jr (2011). Stress and allergic diseases. Immunology and allergy clinics of North America, 31(1), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iac.2010.09.009
8. Urban Moonshine. (2016). Science Update: Allergic Responses. Urban Moonshine. https://www.urbanmoonshine.com/blogs/blog/science-update-allergic-responses↩
9. Pascal, M., Perez-Gordo, M., Caballero, T., Escribese, M. M., Lopez Longo, M. N., Luengo, O., Manso, L., Matheu, V., Seoane, E., Zamorano, M., Labrador, M., & Mayorga, C. (2018). Microbiome and Allergic Diseases. Frontiers in Immunology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01584
10. herbcraft... surviving sinusitis. (2022). Herbcraft.org. http://www.herbcraft.org/sinusitis.html
11. Health Library. (2021). The University of Vermont Health Network. https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/wellness-resources/health-library/tv6577