Hay Fever Therapy: How to Treat Allergic Rhinitis

General measures

  • Avoid exposure to the triggering allergens. Note: Minimal persistent inflammation persists with completed allergen exposure and even with continued symptom relief!
  • Always carry an allergy card with you

Measures to take in case of pollen allergy

The following measures are designed to reduce pollen contact:

  • Keep windows closed – in the morning hours the pollen concentration is highest in the countryside, in the evening hours in the city; therefore, ventilate in the countryside in the evening hours (between 7 pm and midnight) and in the city prefer to ventilate in the morning hours (between 6 am and 8 am).After shock ventilation (every two hours for five minutes), the lowest birch pollen load was measured compared to a room where the window was permanently tilted.
  • Do not spend too long outdoors during the pollen season.
  • Wearing sunglasses can help patients with allergic conjunctivitis improve their eye symptoms during pollen season.
  • The pollen load increases particularly strongly after a thunderstorm. The reason for this is the so-called osmotic shock. Here, the following effect occurs: In the first 20 to 30 minutes, the osmotic shock causes the pollen grains to swell. When the swollen pollen grains then fall to the ground with the rain, they burst open and release a high concentration of allergens. Allergy sufferers and asthmatics are best not to go outside for about half an hour after a thunderstorm.
  • In heavy summer rain, you should put a cloth over your nose and only exhale through your mouth. Rain is basically good, because it cleans the air from pollen. Therefore, in an approaching thunderstorm better stay indoors and close the windows.
  • After downpours (after about 30 minutes) go outside and enjoy the pollen-free air.
  • Avoid roads with heavy traffic
  • Nasal douches daily in the pollen season or confectioned (hyper)osmolar saline nasal sprays.
  • Wash face several times a day.
  • Do not take off street clothes in the bedroom.
  • Washing hair before going to bed.
  • Sleep with the window closed.
  • Pollen screens for the windows
  • Regularly wash bed linen.
  • Replace carpets and carpeting with laminate or parquet.
  • Keep windows closed when driving.
  • Regularly change the pollen filters in ventilation systems (eg in the car).
  • Vacuum cleaners should have special fine dust filters (eg Hepa filter systems).
  • When planning a vacation, consider pollen season and geography: Pollen-poor vacation areas are found at the sea (eg European Mediterranean), on islands or in the high mountains (> 1,500 m).

Conventional non-surgical therapy methods

  • In addition to allergen abstinence, specific immunotherapy (SIT; synonyms: allergen-specific immunotherapy, hyposensitization, allergy vaccination) should be performed as early as possible for causal therapy.Duration of therapy: at least three years by injection or tablets.
  • The therapy is particularly suitable for children and young adults, because here the effectiveness is best. Therapy is indicated for severe allergy that cannot be controlled with allergen abstinence or pharmacotherapy (e.g., antihistamines). Prior to this, proof of the clinical relevance of sensitization detected in the allergy test is required!
  • There is strong evidence for the efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in children with allergic rhinitis.A meta-analysis confirmed the efficacy, albeit low, of sublingual therapy (SLIT) against grass pollen allergy. The authors emphasized that SLIT would offer advantages for children, as they would tolerate the therapy better than subcutaneous immunotherapy at a younger age.
  • Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in children with hay fever did not prevent the onset of bronchial asthma as a result of allergy, but it did reduce the asthma symptoms that occurred.

Nutritional medicine

  • Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
  • Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
    • Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
    • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
    • High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
  • Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
    • Diet rich in:
      • Vitamins (E, C)
      • Minerals (magnesium)
      • Probiotic foods (if necessary, dietary supplements with probiotic cultures).
  • Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
  • See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement.
  • Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)

  • Nasal irrigation