Quite a few people in today's world have never experienced allergies. It can manifest itself in a variety of forms - from completely harmless and simply unpleasant to deadly. Irritants can also be completely different, individual for each. But allergic hay fever stands apart - every spring a huge number of people suffer from it. What is it?
Pollinosis is…
Many people rejoice in spring after a cold long winter. It's getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter and more often, and the plants are starting to bloom. And the latter becomes a real horror for someone who has been diagnosed with hay fever. At its core, the disease is a kind of allergy, and the irritant is plant pollen, which is constantly present in the air with the advent of spring. This disease has many names: pollinosis, hay fever, seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, etc. But the essence is the same - it is almost impossible to hide from the irritant.
The mechanism of allergy is quite curious and is based on the malfunctioning of the immune system. When particles of some generally innocent irritant enter the body, itmistakes them for harmful microorganisms and attacks. There is no single view of physicians on why this happens. There are theories that the modern world with a cult of cleanliness and hygiene does not often challenge the human immune system, so it is thus trained to stay alert in case of real danger. Another assumption is based on the fact that people with innate allergies have much more information encrypted in their DNA about creating antibodies in response to various types of danger - thus, they are potentially much more adapted to changing conditions.
Perhaps those who give out a pathological reaction to the simplest substances are the beings of the future. Be that as it may, pollinosis is a disease that more and more people suffer from.
Irritants
Pollen is the tool by which plants reproduce. It can be carried by pollinating insects, but quite often this is due to the movement of air and wind. Thus, light particles are in the air and can enter the human body.
When pollen settles on the skin and mucous membranes of a person with a pathological reaction, the body turns on the immune system - and hay fever begins: eyes, nose, mouth and integuments react. But since it cannot completely destroy the irritant, the condition does not improve until the particles disappear from the air. In total, about 60 plant species are to blame for the development of hay fever, according to scientists.
Season
Exacerbation of pollinosis occurs, as a rule, in the spring. It occurs at about the same time every year, depending on which particular plants bloom irritates the body of each individual allergy sufferer. However, hay fever can also be polyvalent, that is, a person can react to several types of pollen at once. In the most severe cases, the allergy season can last for a person throughout the warm season, but usually it still does not exceed 4-5 weeks. And although the state of he alth during this period leaves much to be desired, quite often the condition can be alleviated.
Prevalence
Gradually, allergic pollinosis becomes a real scourge of our time. The number of patients in the world is doubling every 10 years. Literally everyone is affected by this disease, and only a little less often - children under 6 years old. At the same time, given the fact that quite rarely patients go to doctors, where they are diagnosed, WHO believes that data on the prevalence of this disease are seriously underestimated. At the same time, sensitization does not go away with time, and is also difficult to treat.
By the way, pollen allergy (hay fever) is much more common among urban residents, although it would seem that in rural areas there is much more greenery and plants in general. This is pretty easy to explain. The fact is that exhaust gases and other substances damage pollen particles, and allergens come to the surface.
Symptoms and manifestations
Pollinosis is usually a fairly harmless disease, althoughextremely unpleasant. At first, it may well be confused with the common cold that occurs in the spring. Slightly elevated temperature, redness of the mucous membranes, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sometimes itching and redness of the skin. It is quite rare that something more serious than the above symptoms occurs. On the street during this period, the allergy becomes more severe, and indoors it is easier, to the point that the manifestations of the disease can almost disappear. All this gives reason to believe that a person does not have an acute respiratory disease, but hay fever.
Signs of pollen allergy are appearing in more and more people, so even if there were no problems in the spring before, you should not automatically exclude yourself from those who suffer from this ailment - it can develop even in adulthood. And even seemingly frivolous symptoms should not be neglected. Up to 20% of cases of diagnosed pollinosis are accompanied by difficulty breathing and a feeling of fullness in the chest.
Varieties
In addition to the already mentioned polyvalent, there is also cross hay fever. This means that people who are sensitized to certain types of pollen can also have an allergic reaction to plant foods such as nuts and even root vegetables.
In addition to the fact that an allergic person with this type of disease has many more prohibited foods, the reaction to them can be more acute. Thus, the likelihood of anaphylactic shock in the case of cross hay fever is higher than usual.
Diagnosis
Quite rarely, those suffering from hay fever go to the doctor, believing to the last that they are tormented by a protracted cold. But sometimes the regularity still makes you think, and you have to make an appointment at the clinic.
Normally, the relationship between plant flowering and symptom manifestation is fairly obvious, it remains to be determined what exactly is causing the reaction. In this case, the collection of anamnesis is very helpful, in the future, the conclusions can be confirmed with the help of a special sample. In order to conduct it, a small amount of allergen is applied to the patient's skin, and after a while the consequences are evaluated.
In addition, laboratory diagnostics can help: a check is made for the presence of immunoglobulins E in the patient's blood, which appear when a reaction occurs. So, what to do if an allergy (hay fever) is detected?
Treatment
The possibilities of official medicine in the fight against hay fever are not too extensive. As a rule, doctors advise fighting hay fever with the help of two groups of drugs: antihistamines and vasoconstrictor drops. In some cases, glucocorticosteroids are also used, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce the likelihood of dangerous edema. But all this only alleviates the condition during the period of exacerbation, but does not cure the disease itself. The most promising direction in traditional medicine is immunotherapy, in which the patient is given an allergen in small doses at certain intervals. The body gradually "gets used" to it.and ceases to produce a pathological reaction.
There are also some treatments by homeopaths and isopaths. Naturally, in this case, you should choose a good proven specialist, and although these methods are not too encouraged by official medicine, they can often be extremely effective when it comes to such a pathology as hay fever. Feedback from patients in this case should be decisive - it is best to select a homeopath using the "word of mouth" method. In folk medicine, preparations based on the following components have proven themselves well: horsetail, chamomile, calendula, nettle, mummy, celery root, string, etc. You do not need to stop taking antihistamines.
It is worth noting that any additional treatments should be discussed with your allergist, and if you feel the slightest deterioration in well-being, you should immediately stop taking herbal preparations. In addition, there are certain problems of compatibility of substances, so even herbal medicine should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.
Prevention
As you know, any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. This also applies to allergies. Although it is impossible to hide from pollen, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of a pathological reaction to it. To do this, take the following measures:
- Limit exposure to any confirmed allergens as much as possible. Sometimes forbidden foods are very desirable, but it's not worth the risk. Even if the allergy manifests itself in the formharmless urticaria, you can get a reaction to completely new substances that have not previously been the cause of sensitization.
- Detect and treat any infectious diseases in time. Protracted inflammatory processes may well provoke an immune response to substances that were not previously irritants.
- Perform pre-season training - take medicines that reduce susceptibility to pollen allergens.
Well, it's not that difficult after all. However, they can not only reduce the likelihood that an allergy will occur, but also greatly facilitate its course if the disease is already there.
Diet
Changing your diet during the period of active flowering of plants can greatly alleviate the condition of an allergic person. Firstly, it is worth excluding processed foods, fast food, as well as any kind of honey from your diet. Secondly, cross-allergens, even if they have not previously had a reaction, are also better not to eat, and if this is not possible, try to at least process them thermally: boil, stew, bake, etc. Thirdly, in the period of exacerbation should refrain from eating exotic and simply unfamiliar products. In severe cases, it is best to eliminate any potential allergens from your diet altogether. However, it is recommended to consume more dairy products, as well as lean meat and green apples. A specialized diet for pollinosis can be either part of a treatment prescribed by a doctor or practiced on its own.
Consequences of ignoring
As you know, an allergy may not appear immediately, but only after the accumulation of a certain amount of irritating substances in the body. But more often pollinosis is a disease whose symptoms increase over time if ignored and not treated, continuing to contact with pollen.
There are 4 degrees of severity of this disease - from mild, episodic symptoms to very serious, life-threatening conditions. In some cases, especially with unfavorable heredity, seasonal bronchial asthma may even develop. In this case, it will not be possible to manage with pills and drops in the nose, so do not ignore allergic hay fever. And if you already have suspicions about a reaction to pollen, it is better to immediately go to the doctors and not bring the matter to droppers.
