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Common remedy to relieve agonising hay fever symptoms could prove FATAL, experts warn
Other ways to ease your hay fever symptoms
AS HAY fever seasons inflicts misery on millions of Brits, many will be searching for new ways to ease their itchy eyes and streaming nose.
Nasal irrigation - squirting a solution in the nose to rinse out allergens - has become an increasingly popular technique to bring relief from hay fever or other irritants.
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But experts warn the the popular allergy cure could put you at risk of infection and even death if not done correctly.
Rinsing out your nose involves using specialised devices called Neti pots or bottles pre-filled with saline to pour the solution into one nostril and letting it run out the other one by tilting your head.
But you run the risk of introducing germs into your body if you don't use sterile water, according to Adam Taylor, professor and director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre at Lancaster University.
Writing for The Conversation, he warned: "A small number of people, especially those with weakened immune systems, have even died from diseases caught through nasal rinsing."
Read more on hay fever
Rinsing out your nose may increase your risk of infection - whether or not you use a sterile solution - as the process may remove or kill microbes in the lining of your nose that stop pathogens from entering your body.
But Dr Taylor stressed that you any liquid you pour into your nose needs to be sterilised, meaning you should never use tap water to rinse out your nostrils.
Opt instead for sterile nasal sprays and saline solution that you can pick up in pharmacies.
It comes after a recent US study found that 10 people who practised nasal irrigation contracted acanthamoeba amebae - this is a microscopic single-celled organism that that can cause rare but severe infections of the eyes, skin, and central nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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"While the risk is low for most healthy people, infection with this parasite can be fatal for people with weakened immune systems," Dr Taylor explained.
"Three of the ten people in the study died, but another study found 82 per cent of US cases of the infection are fatal."
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Rinsing your nose with tap water may also put you at risk of infection from another amoeba called naegleria fowleri, which has a 97 per cent fatality rate in detected cases, the expert went on.
In the UK, it was reported in 2019 that three people died of meningitis after using Neti pots to clear blocked sinuses.
Why is nasal irrigation so dangerous?
Dr Taylor referred to the nose as "a danger zone" when it comes to germs, as "blood vessels are close to the surface in the nose and sinuses making it easier for pathogens to enter the blood stream".
When you're suffering from allergies, the vessels in your nostrils become inflamed and dilate.
This brings them even closer to the surface and further increases the risk of infection.
These blood vessels drain an area known as the “danger triangle of the face” or "triangle of death", spanning from the edges of the mouth to the top of the nose, between the eyes.
Dr Taylor said: "The veins from this region run back into the skull and connect with the vessels that drain the brain, providing a pathway for microbes to travel from the sinuses into the brain where they can cause serious infections and potentially even death."
These cases tend to begin as brain inflammation or rhinosinusitis and progress to a cavernous sinus thrombosis.
"This is when any infection, such as sinusitis or a spot on the face, spreads into the cavernous sinus, which drains blood from the brain," Dr Taylor added.
"As a defence mechanism the body attempts to stop the infection spreading by forming a clot to reduce blood flow from the brain, increasing pressure."
Who should avoid nose rinsing?
Dr Taylor recommended that you avoid nasal rinsing if you're suffering from any kind of sinus or ear infection, at least until it has cleared up.
"Rinsing can increase the pressure in the ear tube or spread pathogens into other areas where they may cause further infection or discomfort," he explained.
And if your nose or sinuses are already dry, you might find that douching them could make it worse, as the liquid can strip away your body's natural protective lubrication.
If you do attempt nasal irrigation, using sterile saline solution is imperative so you don't put yourself at risk of infection.
You can use tap water as long it's boiled and allowed to cool, Dr Taylor added.
Speaking to The Sun, GP Dr Sarah Jarvis previously recommended the Neilmed sinus rinse if you're suffering from a runny nose.
According to the Met Office, the pollen count is expected to remain low over the rest of the week.
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Tree pollen occurs first, typically from late March to mid-May, and affects around 25 per cent of people.
But most people tend to be allergic to grass pollen, which tends to circulate and cause misery to hay fever sufferers between mid-May and July.
Hay fever symptoms & how to treat it
HAY fever is usually worse between late March and September, especially when it's warm, humid and windy. This is when the pollen count is at its highest.
Typical symptoms include:
- frequent sneezing
- runny or blocked nose
- itchy, red or watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
- an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears
- cough, caused by postnasal drip (mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose)
Less commonly, you may also experience:
- the loss of your sense of smell (anosmia)
- facial pain (caused by blocked sinuses)
- headaches
- earache
- tiredness and fatigue
If you have asthma, your asthma symptoms may get worse when you have hay fever.
How to treat it
There's currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it.
But you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high.
- Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
- Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen from getting into your eyes
- Shower and change your clothes after you have been outside to wash pollen off
- Stay indoors whenever possible
- Keep windows and doors shut as much as possible
- Vacuum regularly and dust with a damp cloth
- Buy a pollen filter for the air vents in your car and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter
- Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities
Source: NHS
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