Summer’s here, with longer days, more sunshine, outdoor time, and wide-open windows. Lovely stuff, unless you’re one of the millions affected by hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis. An incredibly common allergy that comes with all sorts of unpleasant hayfever symptoms, from a runny nose and itchy eyes, to wheezing. So, it’s no surprise that hayfever tablets are everywhere during the warmer months, with supermarket shelves and chemists packed with options if you’re looking for relief.
Around 25% of UK adults (an estimated 16 million people!) are thought to suffer from hay fever. For many, antihistamine-based hayfever tablets are the go to solution. But before you pop another pill, it’s worth asking: what exactly is hay fever? What causes it? What are the most common hayfever symptoms? And are hayfever tablets really the best fix? Or could alternatives like our range of allergy patches offer more natural, long-lasting support?
What is Hay Fever – and what triggers you to reach for hayfever tablets?
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to airborne pollen, which might come from trees, grass, or weeds. That means symptoms often start in spring (with tree pollen) and continue into late summer and early autumn, when grass and weed pollen are at their peak. And thanks to climate change, the pollen season is getting longer – groan.
When pollen lands on sensitive areas like your eyes, nose, or throat, your immune system may overreact, releasing histamine and triggering inflammation. This causes familiar hayfever symptoms like sneezing, itchy throat or ears, runny or blocked nose, and sore, watery eyes. In more severe cases, symptoms can also include fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, and even sinus infections.
With all that going on, it’s understandable that so many sufferers turn to hayfever tablets just to get through the day!
What’s the problem with hayfever tablets?
Hayfever tablets, usually antihistamines, work by blocking the histamine response in your body, helping to calm inflammation and ease hayfever symptoms. They’re available over the counter and can offer short-term relief.
But they’re not without issues. Older antihistamines like diphenhydramine (found in some night-time formulas) can make you feel seriously groggy. Even non-drowsy options like cetirizine or loratadine can cause sleepiness – especially when mixed with alcohol. Wave goodbye to that chilled glass of rose on a summer’s evening!
These tablets can also dry out your mouth, eyes, and even cause blurred vision. Some people also report constipation with regular use. Over time, your body may become less responsive to certain antihistamines and you may need higher doses or different types.
Antihistamines aren’t suitable for everyone, especially if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, prostate issues, or are taking certain medications.
Even more worryingly, some studies, like this one from Harvard, have linked long-term use of some antihistamines to an increased risk of dementia. That’s because they can interfere with acetylcholine, a key chemical for memory and learning.
And let’s not forget, hayfever tablets only treat hayfever symptoms, not the root cause of the allergy.
So what’s the alternative?
If you’re fed up with feeling sleepy and dried out, there are more natural options available, with fewer side effects. Try our Allergy Plus patch instead of hayfever tablets to manage your hayfever symptoms. It contains a clever combo of natural anti-inflammatory ingredients like quercetin, nettles, and bromelain, which have all been used for centuries to support the body’s response to allergens.
You’ll also find antioxidants like Vitamin C, luteolin, rutin, and NAC, which contribute to calming inflammation and support your immune system, helping to reduce its tendency to go into overdrive when faced with pollen.
Our Vitamin C Plus patch is another great option that can help calm hayfever symptoms. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, which lowers the amount of histamine your body produces in response to allergens. Unlike traditional hayfever tablets that block histamine after it’s released, Vitamin C works by helping to reduce histamine levels in general, which can lead to fewer sneezes, less congestion, and clearer sinuses.
You might also want to add the Glutathione Plus patch to your arsenal. Glutathione can help by neutralising free radicals and calming the inflammatory response, so your body doesn’t go into overdrive. It also supports liver detoxification, which could help your body process and eliminate allergens more efficiently.
Why choose a vitamin patch over hayfever tablets?
For one thing they’re so much easier to use than hayfever tablets, just pop one on your skin with no pills to swallow. Even better you won’t experience all the classic anti-histamine side effects we’ve discussed, such as drowsiness, dry mouth, vision issues, or digestive discomfort.
We believe that using a patch is a much more preventative, natural approach to reducing hayfever symptoms than using hayfever tablets. Many of our customers swear by using patches preventatively and begin using them before hay fever season starts, and to reduce hayfever symptoms. With one delighted customer saying:
“My sneezing and brain fog disappeared after using the patch consistently. It’s made a huge difference!”
What else can you do to reduce your symptoms?
Aside from switching to natural alternatives like the our range of allergy patches, there are some simple practical steps you can take to ease your hayfever symptoms that don’t involve hayfever tablets:
1. Check the pollen forecast
Pollen counts tend to be highest early in the morning and in the evening. Try to limit your time outdoors during these peak periods if you can. If you do need to head out when it’s pollen’o’clock, wear wrap-around sunglasses to prevent it from getting in your eyes.
2. Keep windows shut
Tempting as it is to let the breeze in, keeping windows closed, especially when pollen is high, can help reduce indoor exposure.
3. Shower and change clothes
Pollen can cling to skin, hair, and clothing. After spending time outside, it’s a good idea to shower and change to get rid of the pollen and avoid spreading it around.
4. Dry your washing indoors
Drying laundry outside can leave clothes and linen coated in pollen, which you’ll then bring indoors AND into your bed – gah!
5. Use a pollen filter
If you drive, consider fitting a pollen filter in your car’s air vents. Around your home, you could try using air purifiers with HEPA filters to help trap allergens. And it’s wise to vacuum more often and use a damp cloth to remove pollen. So get busy with the duster!
