Homeopathy treats the individual person as opposed to looking at just the physical symptoms. To be sure a remedy is the right one for you, it might be necessary to visit a homeopath. Treatment is best started before the hayfever season commences to strengthen your constitution. During the hayfever season you can use the homeopathic drop in clinic for advice on remedies to deal with the symptoms. If you wish to treat yourself, try to match the emotional as well as physical symptoms given for each remedy. You may find that symptoms get slightly worse before they improve - this is a good sign. If in doubt, consult a homeopath. Whilst taking homeopathic remedies, do not drink strong coffee or eat anything with a strong peppermint flavour. Take the remedies away from food. The following remedies are widely used for hayfever. Take in the 30th potency, as directed on the label.

Allium cepa - An onion a day keeps hayfever away - with this form of onion anyway. If you feel like you've been slicing onions instead of enjoying the flowers of Spring, this single remedy relieves burning nasal discharge, watery eyes, hoarseness, hacking cough and raw sore throat to help you breath easily. Where the nose and eyes stream, and sneezing is severe and frequent. For the person whose symptoms are worse in the morning, when indoors, when in contact with flowers.

Arsen Alb - Where the nose tickles violently and sneezing is also violent and painful with a watery, "burning" discharge causing sore lips and nose. The person may feel chilly and restless. May be pale, angry, anxious, depressed and irritable.

Euphrasia - This plant earned the name eyebright by the burning eye irritation it can cause, and therefore cure. If the eyes are burning and the nose is running check this one, especially if the only thing worse than the garden is a smoke filled room. May clear your allergy induced cough or headache, too. Often with heavy sneezing, sore throat and a hard and dry cough. Nasal symptoms may be worse at night.

Gelsemium - Where there is violent sneezing and the nose tingles and streams, particularly in the morning. Face feels hot, eyes heavy, throat burns and swallowing causes pain in the ears. The body aches and limbs feel heavy. Fearful, sluggish, depressed but cannot cry.

Hepar sulph - If the slightest draft makes you sneeze, this might help you clear out that burning tender sinus and cold trouble.

Hydrastis - As all autumn hayfever sufferers know, golden seal's bright yellow flower causes (and thus cures homeopathically) thick, yellow, ropy mucus, everywhere and anywhere - even in the spring.

Kali bich - Are you tired of being blocked up? hacking with postnasal slime? chocking on thick ropy stubborn coughs? suffering with migraine-like sinus headaches? This remedy has opened many airways never thought openable.

Nat Mur - Where there is copious catarrh and sneezing, accompanied by cold sores or mouth ulcers. For the person whose symptoms are worse in the open air. Absent minded, angry, confused, depressed, introverted, irritable, sensitive. Tendency to repress emotions. While the drying agent (sodium chloride) from which it is derived tends to leave passages dry and then wet as the body responds to the dryness, this remedy helps the body address dryness and cold watery but thickening mucus symptoms regardless of the cause.

Nux Vom - Excessive irritation of the nose, eyes, face and throat with prolonged and distressing bouts of sneezing. The nose may feel stuffed up at night, and the person feels chilly and irritable. May be angry, stubborn and impatient.

Pulsatilla - Particularly where there is copious thick catarrh and sneezing. For the person whose symptoms are relieved in the open air. Changeable moods, clingy, depressed, irritable, shy, gentle, tearful and whiny. Relieves dull heavy sinus pain, and a nose that runs when you lie down, stops up when you stand and cannot smell the roses or the fresh air you so crave.

Silica - Sinusitis with blocked stuffy nose. Symptoms often worse on waking. Restless, irritable, jumpy, sluggish, sensitive to noise and pain. This cell salt drawing agent can open sinuses that cannot decide whether to be totally blocked or run profusely with thick yellow mucus, but always prefer a warm room to a cold one.

Mixed Pollen - A specific for hayfever where the condition is known to be an allergic reaction to pollen.