It's been a long, cold winter in Seattle, as we all know. Many of
us are still as-sessing the damage to our precious rose bushes and non-hardy
plants, hoping that tender green shoots will sprout any day. We are also
waiting with bated breath for spring to arrive and for the luscious warmth of
our elusive Seattle sun to stick around. But there are those of us that are
actually dreading the arrival of spring be-cause of springtime sneezing, itchy
eyes, nose, and throat, and inability to breathe clearly-all telltale signs of
hay fever. If you're one of these people, be sure to read on.
Orthodox medicine describes hay fever, or pollinosis, as a symptom complex
characterized by seasonal sneezing, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, itching,
sore throats, and conjunctivitis and says the onset may occur in the spring due
to tree pollens (in the Northwest, the omnipresent Scotch broom and alder are
two of the most common triggers), summer due to grass and weed pollens, and
fall due to weed pollens such as ragweed. Treatment includes avoidance of the
allergen (which is generally next to impossible), antihistamines, and cortisone
for stubborn cases of hay fever.
We have found naturopathic medicine to be quite successful in treating
these an- noying symptoms. Our most reliable method for bringing relief to hay
fever suf-ferers is homeopathy. As many of you know, this is a system of using
very, very dilute preparations of the same substance which, in a much stronger
dose, would cause a certain set of symptoms, to relieve those
same symptoms. Homeopathy has received considerable international press over
the past year and is becoming increasingly more widely accepted. These
medicines are very easy to take, inexpensive, taste great, and are perfectly
safe during pregnancy, lactation, and for infants and children. To arrive at a
correct homeopathic prescription, it is necessary to elicit all of the hay
fever symptoms in the greatest detail possible. Whereas orthodox medicine bases
its prescriptions on the name of the disease diagnosed, we, as homeopaths, may
prescribe ten different remedies for ten of our patients who walk in the door
complaining of hay fever.
Take, for example, the person who comes in with streaming eyes, nose
running like a faucet, and sneezing on entering a warm room. Think, for a
moment, what you could possibly do in your own kitchen to bring on these
symptoms and you will soon discover the correct homeopathic remedy which
relieves them. It is homeopathic onion, Allium cepa. Another common hay
fever picture is similar, but the sneezing is more marked and often spasmodic.
The nose runs, but not with the faucet-like intensity of the onion picture, and
there may be a severe headache in the forehead and redness and running of the
eyes. There may also be a sore throat which feels better after warm foods or
drinks. These symptoms can be helped by homeopathic cevadilla seed, known as
Sabadilla. Then there is the person whose nose, mouth, palate and eyes
itch so intensely that they feel they want to scratch themselves to oblivion.
This corresponds to the homeopathic remedy Arundo, or reed. Another patient
with hay fever complained to us of of waking in the middle of the night with a
feeling of choking, a dry throat, and a general feeling of dullness . We
treated her, successfully with Naja, a homeopathic preparation of cobra venom!
Another form of hay fever concentrates itself primarily in the eyes. The person
experiences a constant, profuse, burning discharge from the eyes and may also
feel a blinking of their eyes which they can't control, as well as a runny nose
and, sometimes, blocked sinuses. Homeopathic Euphrasia, or eyebright,
can take care of these symptoms. Finally, someone may describe a hay fever with
a thick yellowish, green nasal discharge, itching and burning in the eyes
(sometimes with a thick, yellowish discharge and eyelids stuck together on
waking), and a stopped up nose, especially in the evening. If you question this
person further, they may tell you that they are crying lately for no apparent
reason, that their usual thirst has diminished considerably, and that the only
thing that seems to make them feel better is to go out-side and walk in the
fresh air. This person's hay fever symptoms will go away quickly if they are
given homeopathic Pulsatilla, the wind flower.