With the advent of spring, many people experience symptoms of seasonal allergies. At the same time, in some, they manifest themselves not only in the form of unpleasant, but harmless itching and runny nose - a person may begin to suffocate due to lack of air, and severe asthma attacks occur. How to treat seasonal allergies when the symptom-causing plants start flowering, and what measures should be taken so that the allergy does not take you by surprise? RT talked about this with doctors - immunologists-allergists.
According to experts, seasonal allergies are the reaction of the immune system to flowering plants. In medicine, this condition is called hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and in common people - hay fever. Clinically, the disease is expressed in allergic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, eyes, and skin. Slightly less often, other body systems are involved in the process.
According to data published on the website of the Russian Association of Allergists and Clinical Immunologists, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in different countries of the world is 4-32%, and in Russia - 10-24%.
People prone to seasonal allergies most often experience discomfort several times a year: in March-April, May-June, and mid-July, as well as in August-September. During these periods, trees, cereals, grasses in the meadows, wormwood, ragweed, quinoa, sunflower, corn, and other plants actively bloom.
Speaking about the very beginning of the allergy season, the allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok told RT that with the onset of climatic spring, alder begins to bloom, followed by hazel (hazel), then birch.
“After the oak begins to bloom, in the southern regions - the hornbeam, and pine can also be an allergen. When poplar and oak fade, the flowering of meadow grasses begins. Most often, allergies are caused by timothy, bonfire, ryegrass, and bluegrass. Quinoa, wormwood, and ragweed are the latest waves of flowering herbs,” the expert added.
Sneezing, runny nose, and inflammation are common signs of allergies.
The most characteristic symptom of an allergy to plant pollen is sneezing, said Vladimir Bolibok. In addition, the patient may experience nasal congestion, rarely accompanied by fever, if there is a concomitant infection in the nose or in the maxillary sinuses.
“There may also be conjunctivitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, they begin to itch, turn red, and photophobia occurs. If the symptoms are more severe, then asthma attacks occur. Symptoms are highly dependent on the amount of pollen in the air. Sometimes it happens so much that allergy sufferers even have skin inflammation, for example, in the forehead, chin, as well as in areas where clothes adjoin the body: the area under the collar, cuffs, ”the doctor explained.
The most dangerous symptom of an allergy is a lack of air when a person begins to suffocate. In such cases, it is necessary to urgently contact a specialist, stressed Bolibok.
“Consult a doctor”, or what to do when the first signs of an allergy appear
Doctor - allergist-immunologist "INVITRO-Voronezh" Lyudmila Makhovaya, in an interview with RT, told what measures should be taken so that allergies do not change the quality of life of patients for the worse.
Firstly, when unpleasant symptoms appear, it is necessary to contact an allergist-immunologist to determine individual hypersensitivity. Based on complaints and anamnesis, a qualified specialist will help to identify from the list of numerous allergens that cause unpleasant symptoms in a particular person (allergens of trees, cereals, or weeds), offer to undergo an examination, and clarify the diagnosis.
According to Makhova, there are cases when it is not possible to choose an etiological treatment. In such situations, allergy symptoms will help relieve symptomatic medications prescribed by a doctor.
In turn, Vladimir Bolibok recommended that allergy sufferers avoid contact with pollen. If we talk about everyday life, you can put special filter systems on the windows.
“In addition, it is imperative to do wet cleaning every day. This shouldn't be done by the allergic person himself, but by someone who helps him. If you do the cleaning yourself, be sure to wear gloves, and a mask, and protect your hair, ”the specialist clarified.
In addition, the doctor advised them to change clothes more often, take a shower, and use personal protective equipment, such as a regular medical mask, and goggles.
Another important way to deal with the manifestations of allergies is to follow a diet prescribed by a doctor. As noted in a conversation with RT, an allergist-immunologist, Ph.D. Alexey Popovich, this is because several products have cross allergens with seasonal pollen.
However, he recommended studying specialized sites that have information about the content of pollen in the air. For those who play sports on the street, the experts advise using special masks or filters.
“Nose filters are recommended now. These are such small hemispheres, they are sold in pharmacies, and on the Internet. They are placed in the nose, they are quite comfortable, you can walk with them all day long, and they retain pollen so that it does not enter the respiratory tract, ”Popovich explained.
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