Doctor debunks myths on hay fever remedies - and unveils what actually works

Putting garlic cloves up your nose, drinking nettle tea and eating honey are among countless hay fever remedies recommended every year - but do they actually work?

Year-on-year we hear countless 'old wives tales' about how to treat the dreaded hay fever - whether it be through TikTok, or your superstitious grandma. But how many of these actually work?

A leading GP at Superdrug Online Doctor says it's time to debunk some age-old myths around the seasonal snuffles and shine a light on what remedies will genuinely help ease your symptoms.

While it may seem ridiculous to slather Vaseline on your nostrils, Dr Babak Ashrafi claims this is one of the best DIY tricks of all, that's even backed by the NHS. He explained: "This technique is not so much a remedy but it's more to act as a block for the pollen and to capture it before it enters the inner nose.

"Some people rub this on their nostril to help capture pollen, and it is a hack that's recommended by the NHS, but for anyone that isn't comfortable doing this then you can always use a wipe such as Superdrug's Hay Fever Wipes to wipe your face of pollen throughout the day."

Hay fever - or rhinitis - is an allergy that usually arises between late March and September. It takes place when our immune systems overreact to pollen, mould spores and other, similar allergens in the air.

Although the Vaseline trick is a keeper for treating this, it's bad news for others that require shoving things up your nose. This includes cloves of garlic which would technically stop pollen (and everything else for that matter) from getting in, but is still not advisable. "Other than looking and feeling unpleasant, the only way this would be able to assist with hay fever symptoms is by blocking pollen from entering the nose, and there are no studies to support this," Dr Ashrafi continued.

Eating local honey, pineapple and putting nettles in your tea got a mixed reaction from Dr Ashrafi as well. Pineapple in particular contains an enzyme called 'bromelain' which is naturally found in its juice and is known to help with inflammation, swelling and discomfort.

And while its vitamin C content boost your immunity too, there is currently no data on how much pineapple you need to receive its best benefits. It's also a similar story for honey and nettles, with little research poured into their efficacy for now.

"In its dried form as nettle tea, similar to pineapple, nettles have anti-inflammatory properties which some people have found to help relieve hay fever symptoms," Dr Ashrafi explained. "While there have been studies that look into the efficacy... the studies need to be much larger to determine its effectiveness.

"[Honey has] been a traditional remedy throughout the years, there is only a small amount of data and studies that look into the effectiveness of honey as a hay fever remedy. One study found that honey provided no hay fever symptom relief, but this study had a very small group of participants so there needs to be a larger study to really evaluate honey's benefits."

Aside from these less conventional forms of relief, hay fever sufferers can treat the allergy with eye drops, nasal sprays and antihistamines prescribed by a pharmacist. The NHS explains: "Symptoms are 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.

Hay fever can last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks. 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."

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