How to use hypnosis to tackle allergies.
An allergy is a reaction the body has to a particular food or substance.
Allergies are very common. They’re thought to affect more than 1 in 4 people in the UK at some point in their lives. They’re particularly common in children. Some allergies go away as a child gets older, although many are lifelong.
Adults can develop allergies to things they were not previously allergic to. Having an allergy can be a nuisance and affect your everyday activities, but most allergic reactions are mild and can be largely kept under control.
Severe reactions can occasionally occur, but these are uncommon.
What will I learn in this blog?
• That almost all allergies can be managed
• Developing tolerance to an allergen is possible
• Hypnosis helps you to get in touch with your immune system
• That hypnosis can help you to be less allergic
What are the most common allergies?
According to the UK NHS, there are a wide variety of substances (allergens) that cause allergic reactions:
The more common allergens include:
• Grass and tree pollen – an allergy to these is known as hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
• Dust mites
• Animal hair, tiny flakes of skin or hair
• Food – particularly nuts, fruit, shellfish, eggs and cows’ milk
• Insect bites and stings
• Medicines – including ibuprofen, aspirin and certain antibiotics
• Latex – used to make some gloves and condoms
• Mould – these can release small particles into the air that you can breathe in
• Household chemicals – including those in detergents and hair dyes
Most of these allergens are generally harmless to people who are not allergic to them.
Allergic reactions usually happen quickly within a few minutes of exposure to an allergen. They can cause:
• Sneezing
• A runny or blocked nose
• Red, itchy, watery eyes
• Wheezing and coughing
• A red, itchy rash
• Worsening of asthma or eczema symptoms
Most allergic reactions are mild, but occasionally a severe reaction called anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock can occur. This is a medical emergency and needs urgent treatment.
If you feel you have an allergy, your GP is generally your first port of call. They can help determine whether it’s likely you have an allergy. If they think you might have a mild allergy, they can offer advice and treatment to help manage the condition.
If your allergy is particularly severe or it’s not clear what you’re allergic to, they may refer you to an allergy specialist for testing and advice about treatment.
So what do I do to reduce my allergic symptoms?
In many cases, the most effective way of managing an allergy is to avoid the allergen that causes the reaction whenever possible. For example, if you have a food allergy, you should check a food’s ingredients list for allergens before eating it.
There are also several medicines available to help control symptoms of allergic reactions, including: antihistamines – these can be taken when you notice the symptoms of a reaction, or before being exposed to an allergen, to stop a reaction occurring.
For some people with very severe allergies, a treatment called immunotherapy may be recommended. This involves being exposed to the allergen in a controlled way over a number of years so your body gets used to it and does not react to it so severely.
Case Study – How do I reduce hay fever symptoms?
One in every four people in the UK suffer from hay fever, or allergic seasonal rhinitis, and for many people, the start of summer is the worst time of the year. As temperatures increase, people may find they are suffering from itchy eyes, blocked sinuses and ticklish throats.
According to the BBC hay fever affects up to 16 million people in the UK. Most people take antihistamines and other drugs to reduce symptoms.
Hay fever, and other allergic reactions occur when the body’s immune system reacts to a particular substance thinking it is dangerous or harmful. It’s not clear why this happens, but most people affected have a family history of allergies.
The number of people with hay fever is increasing every year. Whilst the reasons for this are not clear it may be the result of living in a cleaner, germ-free environment, which reduces the number of germs our immune system has to deal with. This may cause our systems to overreact when it comes into contact with harmless substances.
Allergy to polled in a mixture of sensitivity & intolerance; an overreaction produced by the body’s immune system when exposed to a normally harmless substance.
Hypnotherapy can be particularly helpful in reducing the symptoms of hay fever by:
• Reducing oversensitivity
• Promoting tolerance of antigens
• Encouraging acceptance of pollen
• Reducing blood flow to the nasal area
• Increasing calmness as the hay fever season approaches
• Keeping blood pressure at a safe, healthy level
At The Hypnosis Clinic, we have a lot of success in helping patients to reduce their hay fever symptoms, and in some cases, eliminating them altogether.
We can even make a unique self hypnosis recording for you to use. It really will change the way your body responds to the allergen, by increasing tolerance and decreasing sensitivity.
Of course, each person has different expectations and challenges, so each treatment is individual to you. In addition to your regular hypnosis sessions, we keep in touch in-between to make sure that you are managing to reduce your symptoms and feel more calm and relaxed.
What else can I do to reduce my hay fever symptoms?
• Limit your time outdoors. Pollen counts are highest in midday, early evening and when it’s windy.
• Use air conditioning both in the car and in your home. Consider a HEPA filter for your home.
• Shower in the evening to wash the pollen off before bedtime. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hair. The steam from the shower is sometimes beneficial in relieving symptoms.
• Use a saline rinse to clear pollen from nasal passages. Talk to your health care provider about the best options for you.
• Keep pets out of your bedroom if they have been outdoors. This reduces the amount of pollen in your sleeping area.
• Dry clothes in a dryer, not outdoors on a clothesline.
• For itchy eyes, use a cold compress to reduce symptoms. And don’t rub — it can make symptoms worse.
• Sip warm tea to relieve a sore throat from drainage. While you sip, inhale the steam to reduce sinus congestion.
• For sinus pain and pressure, try a warm compress on your face.
What did I learn here?
That most allergic reactions can be reduced and managed with hypnotherapy, whilst some may me completely eliminated.
Generally you should expect to have 3 to 4 sessions and and have a custom-made recording to get yourself in tune for a more balanced viewpoint. If you’d like to find out more about how hypnosis can help you, have a look at our website,
We offer a free initial consultation, either by a Telehealth video link or at our clinic right in the heart of London’s Regent Street.
Or if you fancy a chat, just give us a call.