If you’ve ever had seasonal allergies then the word “Spring” conjures up memories of watery, swollen eyes from allergies, post nasal drip, sneezing, and being all around miserable. Aaaaachooo 

For me, every March/April/May was the time I refer to as “Rachel’s personal hell” . It all started when I moved away from where I grew up in the city and went to college. That first spring I can remember thinking to myself “Am I just sick all the time?” before I finally figured out that I had seasonal allergies, otherwise called hay fever.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI);  allergic rhinitis or hay fever affects between 40-60 million Americans. Common symptoms include: watery/itchy eyes, runny/stuffy nose, sneezing, and coughing. Allergic rhinitis is generally caused by an over reaction of the immune system to harmless substances like pollen.

Everyone has their own personal presentation of seasonal allergy symptoms and for me, my primary symptoms are itchy, swollen eyes, runny nose, and post-nasal drip. Seasonal allergies and swollen eyes from allergies can make life quite miserable and unfortunately pharmaceuticals can only attempt to control symptoms (which still was inadequate for me despite taking multiple antihistamines, a nasal spray, and eye drops) rather than get to the root cause. 

After starting my herbal journey I found remedies for swollen eyes from allergies and for seasonal allergies that really work. While I still have minor seasonal allergy symptoms, I have found that herbs help me manage my seasonal allergies and relieve my swollen eyes from allergies. I’d love to share what I’ve found helpful for me in case you are suffering from swollen eyes and want to learn about remedies for swollen eyes from allergies and remedies for seasonal allergies so you can find relief!

Itchy, swollen eyes from pollen can be the worst part of seasonal allergies. Allergy eye symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, burning, and watering. Allergy eye symptoms are a direct result of the allergen (in this case, pollen), making contact with the membrane of the eyes. Using an eyewash can help remove particles- pollen- from the eye bringing relief to swollen eyes. And when paired with herbs such as calendula, rose, and eyebright, herbal eye washes are perfect for bringing soothing relief. 

To make an herbal eyewash use equal parts of calendula (calendula officinalis) and rose (Rosa spp) and make an infusion with boiling water (usually 1 tbsp of herbs per 8 oz water). If you can find eyebright (Euphrasia spp) you can also add that in equal parts to the infusion. Eyebright can be hard to find and is classified as “In Review” by the United Plant Savers so please use eyebright with caution. If you can only find the powder, you can add about 1/2 tsp of the powdered version to the infusion and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the infusion so that particles do not end up in your eyes. 

Additionally, you definitely want to make sure that the infusion is cool before putting it in your eye. I repeat- wait until the infusion has cooled down before applying it! Test a drop or two of the infusion on the inside of your wrist to check the temperature. 

To use the herbal infusion, I recommend using an eye cup. If an eye cup is new to you then you are going to love this new tool as a remedy for swollen eyes from allergies! An eye cup is a plastic cup that you apply over your eye to help wash it out. You can use saline solution to wash out the pollen from your eye but I like using a herbal eye wash as a remedy for swollen eyes from allergies. Using an eye cup you can rinse your eyes several times per day with the eye wash. Just make sure to make a new solution every few hours or so as infusions do not keep for more than a few hours. I have found this combination to be incredibly helpful for itchy, swollen eyes.

Check out Mountain Rose herbs to get your bulk dried herbs for this eyewash!

Did you know that the nasal passages are connected to the eyes? That means that what affects the nasal tissues and passages can also affect the eye (and it’s why when you cry your nose gets runny!) I’ve found that washing out my nasal passages can also support my eyes during allergy season. Side note- it’s also why using a pharmaceutical nasal spray is very effective for swollen, itchy eyes from allergies.

Neti pot: I have found that using a neti-pot with a saline solution frequently helps to wash out the pollen, relieve congestion, and helps with overall symptom control. **Make sure to use distilled or boiled water in your neti pot and clean after each use.

Xylitol Nasal Spray: When I feel really congested but don’t want to use my prescription nasal spray, I turn to my Xylitol Nasal Spray.

I don’t claim to be an expert in homeopathic remedies but my clients and I have personally found a lot of relief from using a homeopathic remedy- Histaminum to help manage allergy symptoms. Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that is based on the belief that “like cures like”  I’ll be the first to admit homeopathy doesn’t make sense in my science based brain but I’ll take whatever relief I can get!

As a Registered Herbal Therapist, I like to take a root cause approach to managing health and healing. One of my favorite quotes is that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” by Benjamin Franklin and it’s a motto that I adopt when it comes to managing my seasonal allergies. 

Another helpful analogy that I like to use when thinking about managing seasonal allergies and remedies for swollen eyes from allergies, is to think of my allergies as a bucket. And when the allergy bucket is full and overflows, that’s when my allergy symptoms happen. So, if I can change the size of the allergy bucket, then I’ll be able to hold more water before it overflows. A root cause approach to allergies helps me make my allergy bucket bigger. 

Freeze dried nettles: This is my go to when my allergy symptoms start flaring up and ideally, I start taking nettles 1-2 months before my allergy season. Nettles, particularly freeze dried nettles, act as an anti-inflammatory perhaps due to their histamine content (2); the dose for freeze dried nettles is 300mg 2-3 per day. I can’t get enough nettles during allergy season and I usually combine freeze dried nettles in capsules with a nettle allergy tea. Drinking an allergy tea also helps keep me hydrated! My favorite place to get freeze dried nettles is iherb.com! And you can even get 20% off by clicking here.

• Invest in a HEPA Air Purifier to help keep your environment clean and pollen free. I love my Air Doctor Pro which is ultra quiet and so sensitive to environmental changes. I love that it has an auto feature where it can automatically adjust to the level of pollen in my house. I have an Air Doctor Pro in my living room and in my bedroom and I’ve noticed that it really helps keep the pollen down in my house. 

• Stay hydrated and get enough water! This is really important to not dry out your mucous membranes which contributes to being even stuffier and more congestion which can make symptoms worse. I hate to say it but cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, two things that dehydrate you, can be helpful. Additionally, alcohol also contributes to the overall histamine load in the body and can exacerbate allergy symptoms. 

• Follow the pollen counts either by finding a local allergist who posts pollen counts or by using www.pollen.com. On days when the pollen count is extremely high – I stay inside and keep my windows closed. Think of this as environmental management!

• Shower each night before bed. Taking showers at night helps to wash all the pollen off each evening before bed as well as help your bed stay as pollen free as possible. 

• Get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for optimal wellness and getting enough sleep helps your body to restore and repair.

• Eat a whole foods diet. Foods such as berries have been thought to help with seasonal allergies due to their antioxidant content. I also noticed a huge improvement in my seasonal allergies when I cut out dairy. Dairy contributes to congestion and tends to make my allergies worse.

References:

1. Probiotics for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Vliagoftis, Harissios et al. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , Volume 101 , Issue 6 , 570 – 579.

2. Natural treatment of chronic rhinosinusitus. Helms, Steve & Miller, Alan. Alternative Medicine Review, Volume 11, Number 3, 196-207.

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