So you can imagine my curiosity when I heard about a hay fever trial being run by RMIT in Melbourne. It involved ear acupressure, also known as auricular therapy – a therapeutic therapy founded by Dr. Paul Nogier of France in the 1940s. Given that I’d tried numerous other treatments that had failed to offer me even the slightest relief, I was keen to give it a go.

I booked in for physical examination and skin prick test to see if I was eligible. As it turned out, the swelling of my skin revealed a severe allergic reaction to rye and the grass mix. I was a perfect candidate for the trial, so I signed up.

Over the next two months I attended weekly appointments, where five metal pellets were attached to specific parts on my ear. It was my job to press each pellet for five seconds, three times a day, as well as anytime I started to experience hay fever symptoms.

To my amazement I got through Spring without so much as the occasional sneeze and slight eye irritation. This minor discomfort was nothing compared to the debilitating symptoms that would confine me to indoor activities, and waste away my sick days. I was spending plenty of time in the great outdoors alongside my worst enemy (pollen), without suffering the consequences.

Hay fever explained

Hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis) is an allergy to pollen, which explains why it’s so common around Springtime. Up to 40 percent of Australians experience the telltale itchy, puffy, watery eyes and red, stuffy nose that signals a change in season.

Symptoms are similar to a cold and can also include headaches and fatigue. Some sufferers may be unfortunate enough to experience hives or rashes. Hay fever has also been linked to sleeping problems, ear conditions and event learning problems.

As with all allergies, the symptoms happen as a result of your immune system overreacting to a normally harmless substance. When the body comes into contact with pollen, cells in the lining of your nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine that triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Seasonal hay fever is prevalent during pollen season and doesn’t usually develop until a child is at least six-years-old. Perennial hay fever however, occurs throughout the year and is common among younger children.

The theory behind acupressure

In auricular therapy the ear is seen as a miniature map of the human body, with each part corresponding to a different part of the body. Stimulating these key points regulates the flow of energy through invisible energy channels in the body called meridians.

The ear is sensitive so you get a strong release of endorphins and serotonin (the body’s own natural painkillers) when you apply pressure. People get a euphoric effect and feel better straight away. Given its widespread use in Europe, it is now accepted by the World Health Organisation as safe and effective.

RMIT researcher Clair Zhang says there are around one-hundred acupoints on the surface of the ear, which can be treated by using acupuncture, laser therapy, or by taping small stainless steel pellets on the point. “Attaching pellets to the ear instead of needling is less invasive and reduces the potential for skin infection. When attached with skin tape, those pellets constantly stimulate the ear points.”

Zhang says ear-acupressure has been well researched and clinically practised intensively over the past half century. “Previous randomized controlled clinical trials conducted on ear acupressure in the management of hay fever reported it as being effective and safe for hay fever symptom relief.”

The added benefits of ear-acupressure

The self-help aspect of acupressure is one of its greatest strengths, making it extremely cost-effective. Once shown how to do it, you can use acupressure yourself by applying firm pressure with your thumb or fingertips until you feel a little discomfort. If it feels tender, that’s a good indication that you’ve found the right spot.

Ear-acupressure not only helps with hay fever. Zhang says it can be used to ease headaches, nausea, digestive upsets, anxiety and stress, insomnia, arthritis, high blood pressure, cramps, asthma, eczema, as well as helping with pain relief. “In Western societies it is commonly used in the treatment of drug addictions, and can even help people give up smoking or lose weight.”

Other natural alternatives

If you’re keen to find relief in other natural remedies, ginger could be the answer you’re looking for. A cup of ginger tea or ginger juice strengthens the immune system and acts like an expectorant. A cup of chamomile tea is also a great hay fever remedy, as is putting a few drops of chamomile and lemon essential oils on a tissue, and inhaling regularly.

Steam inhalations can be really effective in clearly out nasal passages, so try adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of steaming hot water, and inhale the steam with a towel over your head. This can be done a few times a day and provides instant relief while removing congestion.

Dose up on Vitamin C, as it’s a natural antihistamine. You can buy Vitamin C supplements in tablet form or tuck into some parsley, which is really high in Vitamin C. You’ll also get plenty of Vitamin C from oranges, lemons and grapefruits in both the rind and the pulp.

Natural practitioners recommend honey, which eases hay fever symptoms by clearing the sinuses and helping to control puffy itchy eyes. Experts believe honey works because it contains traces of pollen, encouraging the body to build up a natural immunity. Try taking a daily dose of organic honey.

To clear up clogged sinuses, warm up a small amount of organic sesame oil, and using your fingers, massage along the top of cheekbones and across your forehead. The massage should last a few minutes or until you feel relief. Use long stroke from your temporal mandibular (located just in front of your ear) on down your neck. You can also use sesame oil to swab your nostrils, as it is extremely soothing to inflamed nasal lining.

Do it yourself acupressure treatment

With your thumb and fingers of your right hand, grab the meaty part of your left hand, between the thumb and fingers. Apply firm pressure for one minute, pushing toward the bone of the hand.

Press finger tips to the side of the nose, slightly above the nostrils for about a minute at a time. Do the same to your sinuses slightly above each eyebrow.

Press the hollow above the centre upper lip as needed.

Stress only becomes a problem when we are overloaded by it – when we experience emotional upset, dysfunctional behaviour and physical problems to the extent that they stop us from coping effectively. The key is to catch yourself when feeling stressed, decide on doing something, and commit to an action that will improve the way you’re feeling.

Your stress-buster tool-kit

Born to breathe

Often when we become stressed our breathing becomes shallow. The less oxygen that is being pumped into our bodies, the more we open ourselves up to becoming anxious and fatigued. Deep breathing soothes the autonomic nervous system. This is why meditation, which focuses on the breath, is so effective in reducing stress.

When you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, slowly inhaling through your nose counting to five in your head. Let the air out through your mouth, counting to eight in your head. Repeat several times until you feel the stress ease.

Indulge in a massage

Massage is one of the oldest healing techniques used to help us overcome psychological and physical problems. It cuts through stress like a hot knife through butter, relaxing muscles, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, enhancing blood circulation and even boosting immune function.

It also causes the body to release all of those feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine and reduces the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenalin. Massage is a balm for the body, mechanically forcing the muscles to relax, and allowing the brain to relax.

Bend and Sweat

Any type of yoga will help reduce stress, but bikram yoga (where you sweat it out while contorting your body into weird shapes) is particularly effective. Bikram Yoga Instructor Michael Houghton, says the vigorous exercise improves sleep while lowering heart rates, blood pressure and cholesterol.

“The heated environment allows for a fuller range of movement, while the sweating helps flush toxins from the body, which results in the release of cortisol. The sharp mental focus of the practice creates a state of waking meditation, giving the mind a much needed break from the daily rush of life.”

Bikram Choudhury has said that regular practice will help prevent other people and circumstances from “stealing your peace”.

Laugh out loud

Laughter is one of the best medicines, with research showing it too reduces cortisol. Indian physician Dr Madan Kataria created the Laughter Yoga movement. He says it’s one of the best muscle relaxants. “Laughter expands blood vessels, and sends more blood to muscles all over the body.”

Creating more laughter in your life is easy. Rent a comedy, surf the internet for a belly-splitting laugh on youtube, see a standup comedian, or simply laugh for no reason. You body can’t tell the difference between a real laugh and a fake laugh, so either way, you still get the benefits. Scheduling in laughter breaks at work can do wonders to keep stress at bay.

Enjoy a blast from the past

Stress management expert Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant recommends blowing bubbles, hula-hooping or wearing an eye patch in times of stress. “These kinds of activities remind your mind and body that resiliency, and the ability to bounce back is important and easy.” It helps you return to a child-like state, where stress is non-existent.

Tonic in a teapot

Taking time out to brew a cuppa has long been considered a ritual for escaping the stresses of the mundane world. But when your nerves are stretched tight, caffeine is the last thing you should be putting in your body. It is a stimulant that makes you restless while increasing anxiety levels.

Try reducing your caffeine by having a cup of tea instead. Chamomile was first used in Europe to help with insomnia and nervousness and is known to relax smooth muscle tissue and alleviate stress.

Hit the sack

Getting enough zeds is the perfect stress salve, but it’s what you do before going to sleep that can offer the immediate relief. In an Arizona State University study, researchers found that sex and physical intimacy led women to feel less stressed and be in a better mood the next day.

Intimacy Guide Martina Hughes says the cruel irony that a proven cure for stress – a hot sex life – is exactly what stress destroys. “If we begin connecting slowly and gently, the sexual energy will arise, and we’ll generally feel better after sex. Due to the endorphins it releases, we experience better quality sleep.”

Express and connect

Whether it’s calling someone who is upbeat and positive for a chat, or journaling your feelings to connect with your emotions, expressing yourself can help liberate you from stress. It’s like taking out the trash – you need to empty the day’s rubbish or it starts to overflow.

Some psychologists even prescribe journaling as therapy, because it allows you to get to the deepest recesses of your mind. By taking the story out of oneself and putting it on a page we change painful confusion into poignant clarity enabling us to find the root cause of the stress.

Soothing sounds

Music is everywhere. Even medical practitioners use it in their anxiety and pain management programs. Australian composer John Levine says the positive effects of music are tremendous. “Certain types of music help lower our stress levels, get a grip on things and manage our condition in a calm, focused state of mind.”

So put on your favourite song. It could be one that you love to dance too, in which case get up and shake that booty. Or it may be some calming concerto by Mozart. Classical music actually increases brain activity while promoting relaxation.

Be mindful

Most of the time when we’re stressed, we’re thinking about what just happened or what we have to do next. The trick is to practice mindfulness and learn to live in the now. Focus all your attention on the hand at task. It is impossible to feel anxious if you are being 100% present.

Senior Lecturer in Clinical Studies at Monash University, Craig Hassad, says relaxation is a common side effect of mindfulness. “It helps raise our awareness of what’s really going on in the mind and body. It helps develop our ability to disengage from any mental clutter.”

While it’s vital to identify the stressors in your life and respond to them appropriately, it’s important for the body to be functioning at its optimum, so it’s able to get through times of stress with minimum impact. When you are feeling strong, both mentally and physically, stressful circumstances no longer have any power over us.

Get your employer to help raise awareness of stress in the workplace by taking part in Lifeline’s annual fundraising event Stress Down Day on Friday 23^rd of July. It encourages all Australians to de-stress, by wearing their slippers to work or dressing up or down.  All funds raised go directly to sustaining Lifelines Crisis Support service 13 11 14. To register, go to: www.stressdown.org.au