Hay Fever

8. Hay Fever

Hey fever is a chronic catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membrane (Schneiderian membrane) of the nose often involving the lining membrane of the eyes, throat, pharynx, larynx and bronchial tubes. The catarrh is continue us but is particularly subject to increase in severity of symptoms in the months of May, June, July and August.

According to The Merck Manual, hay fever is generally induced by wind-borne pollens. The spring type is said to he due to tree pollens (e.g., oak, elm, maple, alder, birch, cotton wood); the summer type is due to grass pollens (e.g., sheep sorrel, English plantain); the fall type is due to weed pollens (eg., ragweed). Occasionally, hay fever is said to be due to airborne fungus spores. Geographic differences are said to have an effect.

These agents are only exciting causes which, when they come in contact with overly-sensitive mucous membranes of the nose, occasion irritation with profuse drainage, runny nose, etc. Changing location and climate will not eliminate the sensitivity even though the exciting cause has been avoided. Health has not been restored since the underlying cause of the sensitivity has not been dealt with.

8.1 Symptoms

The nose, roof of the mouth, pharynx and eyes begin to itch gradually or abruptly after the onset of pollen season. Secretion of tears, sneezing and clear, watery nasal discharge accompany or soon follow the severe itching. Frontal headaches, irritability, loss of appetite, depression and insomnia may appear. The mucous membrane which lines the eyelid is involved, and the nasal mucous membranes are swollen and bluish red. Coughing and asthmatic wheezing may develop as the season progresses. Many eosinophils are present in the nasal mucus during the season.

8.2 Eosinophil Cells

Eosinophil cells are somewhat larger white blood cells, and have received their name because they stain very easily with a dye called eosin. This coloring agent is frequently used for histologic studies to make cells more visible under the microscope. The function of the eosinophils is also still debated, but they seem to be related to inflammatory reactions, as seen in allergy, because their number increases remarkably when a person suffers from asthma, hay fever or similar conditions.

Scientists have found that the presence of pro-inflammatory corticoid hormones in the blood is accompanied by increase in eosinophil cells, and the presence of anti-inflammatory corticoides are associated with relative absence of eosinophils. These cells play an important part in this inflammatory process, which is a healing process. Increase of these cells during “disease” is a positive sign that
healing is taking place.

8.3 Treatment

The usual treatment which is given by most physicians involves the employment of various drugs. The most widely-used ones include antihistamines, decongestants, epinephrine and corticosteroid treatments.

All of these drugs are poisonous. They contribute to enervation and add toxins to the body. They also interfere with many physiologic homeostatic mechanisms which result in impaired health of all bodily organs. They never have any beneficial effects and cannot play any role in healing.

The ideal treatment is no treatment at all. If the body is given the proper conditions, healing will be carried on uninterrupted and health will be restored. When the underlying cause of hay fever is removed, these symptoms will not reoccur.

8.4 Causes

Although it is true that dust, pollen, emanations from horses, cats, dogs, birds, etc., and even cold air, will occasion more suffering, this does not prove them to be causes of hay fever. Anything that irritates a sensitive mucous membrane occasions a rush of blood to the point of irritation and the pouring out of an exudation to flush way the irritant.

The mistake is made to consider normal elements in our environment such as pollen or dust as causes of hay fever. It this were true, we would all exhibit these symptoms. The basic cause is that which gave rise to the sensitization of the membranes that are not normally sensitive to these triggering factors.

Two people may have catarrh and one develops hay fever and one does not. Both of the individuals are highly toxic, but the one who develops hay fever is subject to nervous problems.

Hay fever rests on a basis of enervation and toxemia. Enervating habits render the individual highly toxic due to inhibition of full and normal elimination within the body of normal body wastes. When the toxic accumulation reaches the saturation point, certain areas of mucous membranes are called upon to do various duties in excreting these toxins. When this condition becomes chronic, symptoms of hay fever become evident.