If you ever treat hay fever, chances are you might look after the best hay fever relief for your patients. Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is the result of body reactions to airborne allergens such as tree pollen or fungal spores. This ailment is characterized by 4 cardinal symptoms including watery rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, itching, and sneezing.
The symptoms are caused by an IgE-mediated, type 1 hypersensitivity reaction. This results in the activation of mast cells and the release of histamine among other inflammatory mediators.
While hay fever itself is self-limiting and mild, the symptoms can be severe as there are people who suffer from asthma-like syndromes such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and weakness.
Revisiting the default therapies for hay fever
The therapy for hay fever depends on the severity and duration of symptoms. The baseline therapy consists of removal or avoidance of allergens, pharmaceutical, immunotherapy, and surgical intervention in some cases. Among these options, pharmaceutical therapies such as antihistamines, leukotriene receptor antagonists, topical steroids, and vasoconstrictors aim to improve symptoms and enhance the quality of life.
Antihistamines and glucocorticoids are widely used for mild to severe conditions. Glucocorticoid nasal spray has been used widely to be hay fever’s most common first treatment, along with oral antihistamines. Antihistamines are drugs that have the property to bind to histamine-receptors without activating the immune system so that allergic reactions can be prevented.
Indeed, pharmaceutical drugs may be effective, but there are several side effects that one must consider. Glucocorticoid nasal spray can cause disturbing symptoms; burning sensation, nosebleed, irritated throat, and unpleasant taste in the mouth are some mild ones to name a few. On the other hand, antihistamine use can induce sedation, impaired motor function, dizziness, dry mouth and throat, blurred vision, and constipation. Taking too many antihistamines can even result in severe complications such as seizure and cardiac abnormalities.
Knowing this, you may want to look after safer and more natural remedies to treat hay fever without having to get into these side effects. Thanks to the advancement of science, finding one is easy as there are several options now available.
The use of medicinal mushrooms as the best hay fever relief
According to scientific studies, several medicinal mushrooms can exert therapeutic effects on hay fever. Agaricus blazei Murill, or Royal Sun Agaricus, is a mushroom native to Brazil popularly known as Himematsutake in Japan. Traditionally, this mushroom has been widely used for its medicinal uses to treat several diseases such as atherosclerosis, hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, dermatitis, and cancer. A clinical study has revealed that Agaricus blazei Murill was able to reduce 40% of serum IgE and reduce mast cell sensitization during the pollen season. It is also known that Agaricus blazei improves Th1/Th2 immune balance, which is altered in allergy development.
Another mushroom species known to play an antihistamine role is Ganoderma lucidum. Widely known as Reishi, this mushroom has been a part of oriental medicines for centuries. It has been used widely for its antitumor, immunoregulation, hepatoprotection, and anti-inflammatory activities. The polysaccharides and triterpenoids contained in Ganoderma lucidum have been proved to possess an antiallergic and antiinflammatory role. Researchers also found that there are encouraging pieces of evidence that suggest Ganoderma lucidum supplementation can significantly decrease allergy symptoms and distinguish the drowsiness, itchiness, and sneezing.
When someone suffers from allergies, they could also feel the chronic pain of muscle cramps, headaches, and inflammation of bones and joints. These problems could happen because allergy triggers the immune system response which can result in massive inflammation. Ganoderma lucidum tends to relieve this aggressive reaction because this mushroom can also modulate the immune system. In addition, this species is also known for its ability to restore the normal balance between Th1 and Th2 immune states. More interestingly, the use of Ganoderma lucidum supplementation can be the option for cost-effective natural anti-allergic therapy.
Conclusion
Based on these researches, both Agaricus blazei Murill and Ganoderma lucidum showed their potential to be the best hay fever relief. By using natural products, be it independently or combined with the currently available therapies, people can avoid the unwanted side effects of pharmaceutical compounds or avoid overusing drugs such as antihistamines while getting rid of hay fever. This results in more comfortable breathing, healthier life, and overall wellbeing.