Stinging nettles? Five unusual remedies to escape from hay fever hell as pollen levels soar

There is seriously bad news for hay-fever sufferers this week as the pollen count is set to soar.

The Met Office has announced that it will be very high across the whole of the Midlands, meaning eyes will be running, noses streaming and people firing off salvos of violent sneezes left, right and centre.

Nasal sprays, antihistamines and other medications are probably your best bet when all is said and done but alternative remedies have been said to help too.

So, here are a few different ones that you could try to help relieve the debilitating symptoms and maybe prevent your immune system from freaking out:

1. Stinging nettles

Stinging nettles may alleviate the symptoms of hay fever (Image: iStockphoto)

Stinging yourself with nettles might be an extreme way to combat hay fever but one man claims it works.

Goran Pavlovic, reports Cambridge News , says that by stinging himself with nettles, his immune system concentrates on the stings and forgets about pollen.

Surprisingly, there is some science to back up his claim. They are thought to reduce histamines in the body.

The University of Maryland Medical Centre found in preliminary studies that nettles may help reduce symptoms of hay fever. You might want to try nettle tea rather than stinging yourself though.

2. Local honey

A sweet solution for hay fever (Image: Surrey Advertiser)

Some people believe that honey produced locally from bees gathering pollen from local plants will help build up a resistance to pollen.

This is a difficult claim to verify scientifically but honey is sweet and lovely so you might as well give it a go.

3. Apple cider vinegar

Again, the scientific evidence is thin but apple cider vinegar has long been thought of as a remedy for all sorts of ills.

It is thought to break up mucus in the sinuses and, it is claimed, has antihistamine properties to reduce any allergic reactions to pollen.

4. Fruit and veg

Peppers are high in vitamin C (Image: Liverpool Echo)

Vitamin C is known to bolster the immune system so plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a better idea than a diet based largely on chocolate and crisps.

Strawberries, peppers, pineapple, mangoes, broccoli, kiwi fruit and kale are high in vitamin C and could help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever.

5. Fresh fish

Grilled sardines are high in essential fatty acids and are delicious (Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)

Omega-3 fatty acids are said to have anti-inflammatory properties so adding foods such as salmon, mackerel and sardines to your diet may help you limit the effects of an allergic reaction to pollen.

Fresh fish is preferable to fishfingers. If you have ever been obliged to remove the breadcrumbs from a fishfinger for a fussy child, you will discover that some of them contain a disappointing quantity of actual fish. You have been warned.