Seasonal Allergies at a Glance

Woman outside blowing her nose in a tissue

People with seasonal allergies react to pollen from plants, with symptoms that may include sneezing, coughing, a runny or stuffy nose, and itching in the eyes, nose, mouth, and throat.

A variety of complementary health approaches, including both natural products and mind and body practices, have been studied for seasonal allergies.

There’s some evidence that the herb butterbur may be helpful.
The evidence on other natural products, such as probiotics, honey, grape seed extract, and omega-3 fatty acids, is either inconsistent or too limited to show whether these products are helpful.
The results from several studies suggest that acupuncture may be helpful for seasonal allergy symptoms.
Rinsing the sinuses with a neti pot (a device that comes from the Ayurvedic tradition) or other devices may be useful. To avoid the risk of dangerous infections, it’s important to use distilled, sterile, or boiled (and cooled) water; untreated tap water may not be safe.