While most people enjoy the spring revival of nature - flowering trees, green grass, budding buds - some suffer due to allergies. Sneezing, coughing are all symptoms of this disease. And just as in other cases, to overcome the disease, it should be prescribed correct treatment. According to statistics, 20-40% of the total population is susceptible to spring allergies, and the number of patients increases every year.

There are three types of allergies: food, respiratory and contact. Allergens most often include animal hair, mold, pollen from flowering plants, and much more. The first signs of this spring disease begin to appear in mid-April, when maple, birch, alder, hazel, etc. begin to bloom. About a hundred plants can be allergens. Moreover, those with smaller pollen are considered more dangerous.

Many people think that allergies are not very serious illness, and therefore do not give it due importance. However, it should be emphasized that by neglecting the treatment of allergies, you can get myocarditis, gastritis, bronchial asthma, sudden changes in body temperature, not to mention weakened immunity.

Diagnosis of the disease is quite simple. The specialist compares the manifestations with the time of flowering of the plants, and also conducts tests to identify allergens.

Treatment of spring allergies: methods

During the seasonal pollination of plants, many change their place of residence. But this decision problems are not always possible, so you have to look for other options. Effective treatment spring allergies - preventive immunotherapy. It eliminates symptoms and signs of the disease in 60-75% of cases. The essence of the method is that allergens are introduced into the body of an allergic person. Their dose gradually increases, and over time the person becomes immune to them. This method Allergy treatment requires continuous visits to an allergist for 1-1.5 months.

Another method of combating allergies is a set of measures that will protect you during the flowering period. For example, using home air purifiers, eye protection sunglasses from pollen, etc.

Spring allergies include taking antihistamines that will ease the course of the disease. With eye inflammation and lacrimation, drops "Optivar", "Patanol", "Zaditor" will help. Non-steroidal drugs are used.

Treatment of allergies to ragweed also occurs using the above methods. Only the flowering of this plant begins in August and lasts until September. However, therapy should only be prescribed by a specialist. Do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor. He will help you choose the course you need to get rid of the disease.

Allergy treatment in Israel is very high quality. The medicine of this country is famous for its high level development. However, not everyone can afford such treatment, as it is very expensive.

What is spring allergies and how to treat them, how much does it cost to see an allergist, what to do if you simply can’t go outside because your eyes immediately begin to water - Dima Solovyov talked with specialist Elmira Dzybova and found out how to deal with a disease that doctors called "seasonal hay fever".

Spring is a wonderful time of year, only if you are not allergic. Alas, for some people the sight of blooming gardens does not bring joy, but tears from their eyes and sneezing. Spring allergies have been especially bad this year. The prolonged cold delayed the flowering of many plants, and now, when warm weather has begun to set in, they have all bloomed (or will bloom) almost simultaneously.

jan-willem/freeimages.com

The cause of spring allergies (or hay fever, as doctors call it)- pollen of flowering plants. These are tiny particles that are easily carried by the wind, and for several weeks in the spring the air is literally filled with them. Pollen itself is safe, but in some people, the immune system mistakenly begins to attack pollen particles that enter the body. This mainly affects the eyes and nose, since their surfaces are very sensitive and are not protected from pollen. As a result, it develops inflammation, which causes watery eyes, runny nose and other allergy symptoms. The pollen of one plant or several at once can be allergenic.

mcfarlandmo/flickr.com

Here are the most common myths about allergies, which Challenger, together with Elmira Dzybova, smashes to smithereens (the fluff, if anything, is not poplar):

Myth 1. Hay fever is caused by poplar fluff

Poplar fluff itself extremely rarely causes an allergic reaction, but its main danger is that it can carry pollen and spores of allergenic plants, which include:

• trees and shrubs (birch, alder, hazel, willow, oak, chestnut, poplar, ash, elm);
• cereal grasses (timothy, ryegrass, fescue, foxtail, bluegrass, wheatgrass, rye, wheat);
• weeds (quinoa, ragweed, hemp, nettle, wormwood).

Myth 2. Hay fever worsens in the spring, when everything around is in bloom.

Depending on what part of Russia you live in, symptoms of hay fever can appear in both spring and summer (and even autumn). If you are an allergy sufferer, you need to be well aware of “your” allergenic plants and their flowering periods.

In Russia, there are three peaks of exacerbations of hay fever:

1. spring (April - May), caused by tree pollen;
2. summer (June - August), associated with pollen of cereal plants;
3. autumn (August - October), caused by pollen of weeds (ragweed, wormwood).

Myth 3. Allergy is a hereditary disease

Of course, hereditary predisposition plays an important role in the development of allergic diseases. The risk increases if someone in the family already suffers from allergies. If both parents are allergic, then the likelihood of their child developing allergies increases to 70-80%. However, even if none of the relatives has an allergy, the risk of developing it is 15-20%, which is associated with a violation of the environmental situation, the quality of food consumed, a large number preservatives in it, as well as irrational and uncontrolled use medications, which leads to changes in the state of our immune system.

Myth 4. If you haven’t had an allergy since childhood, it means there won’t be one.

Most often, the first signs of allergies appear between the ages of 5 and 20 years. However, it can also appear at an older age, which may be associated with a person moving to another climate zone where allergenic plants bloom (which the person might not even know about - there was no allergy before). Also, a person can live with an allergy for many years, mistakenly considering it a common runny nose, cold or bronchitis. As soon as you notice symptoms such as an itchy nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes, uncontrollable sneezing, profuse runny nose, cough or difficulty breathing, immediately consult a specialist. Such complaints may be the beginning of the development of hay fever.

Myth 5. Allergies are when you sneeze a lot and your eyes water.

Of course, the most common manifestation of hay fever is itching in the nose, mucous discharge from the nose, sneezing (the so-called allergic rhinitis), lacrimation, redness of the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis). Those susceptible to allergies may suddenly begin to cough, have difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath - this may indicate that pollen bronchial asthma is already beginning. However, for hay fever, skin manifestations are also possible in the form of urticaria, Quincke's edema, various dermatitis, blisters, skin itching. Much less often, but still sometimes there is damage to the urogenital tract in the form of vulvovaginitis, urethritis, cystitis or nephritis, as well as damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which can manifest itself in the form of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Myth 6. Allergies cannot be cured

Most antiallergy medications are aimed at relieving the symptoms of the disease, rather than treating its cause. Today, the ASIT method (allergen-specific immunotherapy) is the only treatment method that treats the very cause of the disease, and after stopping the course of therapy, the symptoms of the disease do not recur, but a long-term stable remission. During ASIT in immune system The body undergoes complex reactions, as a result of which the immune response switches from allergic to normal.

Myth 7. Allergies are harmless in principle and need not be treated particularly well.

Allergies must be treated, and under the guidance of a specialist - an allergist-immunologist. Unfortunately, many people for many years self-medicate, without even suspecting that inadequate treatment of hay fever can lead to the development serious complications: sinusitis ( inflammatory process in the nasal sinuses), otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear), the formation of cysts of the paranasal sinuses, polyps, as well as pollen bronchial asthma.

Myth 8. Allergy testing is very expensive

Elmira Dzybova

“For a competent specialist, it will be enough to talk with you in detail, ask specific questions, refer you to necessary research and carry out a series of tests. This will be quite enough to identify specific allergens that cause an allergic reaction in you.

All basic tests needed to determine if you have hay fever are covered by standard health insurance. You just need to go to the district allergist, tell him in detail about your complaints, and he will give directions for necessary tests and research.

Here are 20 tips that you need to follow to protect yourself from hay fever, survive this spring normally and live in general life to the fullest, although previously it seemed that this was simply impossible during the flowering season:

1. On dry, windy days, try to stay indoors. During this weather there is the most pollen in the air. On the contrary, after rain it becomes much less, so this best time for a walk or shopping.
2. When going outside, wear sunglasses. This will partly help protect your eyes from pollen that irritates them.
3. Close your car windows when traveling, especially outside the city.
4. In principle, try not to travel outside the city during the period of active flowering, since outside the city the concentration of pollen of some plants and trees is much higher than in the city. Also, those who like to work in the garden beds or in the flower beds of their garden are advised to postpone these activities until the end of the hay fever season.
5. When you get home, take a shower and put your street clothes away. Tiny particles of pollen remain on your body and clothes, which support allergies.
6. Dry washed clothes indoors. You shouldn’t do this outside: there pollen from flowering plants can stick to it, which will cause an allergy as soon as you put on these clothes.
7. Use air conditioning in your car and at home. There are special air filters that trap allergens. Clean your home regularly by collecting dust with a vacuum cleaner (there are anti-allergenic HEPA filters for them).
8. Sleep with the windows closed.
9. Keep an eye on your pets. If you let them outside, their fur may also collect pollen, which they will bring back to your home.
10. Take a shower and wash your hair before going to bed. This will cleanse your skin and hair of allergens that have stuck to them during the day. The likelihood of nighttime allergy attacks will noticeably decrease.
11. As discussed with your doctor, start taking over-the-counter medications. Antihistamines usually help with spring allergies. It is preferable to use 2nd and 3rd generation antihistamines (loratadine, levocetirizine and others), as they are safer and less likely to cause drowsiness.
12. Irrigate the nasal cavity saline solution or distilled water. This will relieve nasal congestion and directly flush out allergens and mucus.
13. The best way to cope with spring allergies is allergen-specific immunotherapy. During it, the doctor will first determine what exactly is causing your allergies, and then do a series of subcutaneous injections. They will allow the body to gradually “get used” to the allergen and reduce the severity of symptoms. Such injections should be given in advance, before the allergy season has yet arrived.
14. Avoid psycho-emotional and heavy physical activity.

If possible, travel to a climate zone with a different pollen calendar, to the sea coast or to the mountains, where pollen concentrations are much lower. Plan your vacation by finding out in advance the flowering dates of allergenic plants in the area of ​​your chosen vacation spot.

If hay fever worsens, postpone execution planned operations, preventive vaccinations and vaccinations.

15. Do not use medications, cosmetics, homeopathic medicines or herbal medicine, if they contain extracts of plants that are allergenic to you.

Always carry a Patient's Passport with you allergic disease", which will be given to you by your allergist after consultation and examination. The passport will contain your last name, first name and patronymic, date of birth, allergy diagnosis, range of allergens to which you have been identified as sensitive, as well as a list of measures to eliminate contact with the allergen. The passport contains a list of medications that should always be in your first aid kit, indicates the order of actions in the event of anaphylactic shock and the order of use of medications.

Start keeping a “Diary of a patient with hay fever”, in which you must indicate the date the symptoms began, how severe they were, what treatment you used, indicating the doses of drugs and the frequency of their use, and you must also note the date the allergy symptoms disappeared.

Hypoallergenic diet for patients with allergies to weed pollen. What not to do: honey and bee products, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, mustard, mayonnaise, melons (melon, watermelon), zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, alcoholic beverages, tarragon, herbs and spices, chicory, citrus fruits, bananas, garlic, carrots, beets, spinach.

Hypoallergenic diet for patients with allergies to tree pollen. What not to do: honey and bee products, stone fruits, apples, pears, kiwis, nuts, carrots, herbs, spices, cognac, wine, birch sap, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions.

Spring is the most wonderful time. After all, it is in spring that nature wakes up from winter hibernation and begins to bloom and sparkle with many colors. This circumstance upsets such a fact as allergies. Spring allergies are called hay fever or hay fever. Allergic manifestations occur as a reaction of the immune system to pollen from flowering plants. A person literally cannot be outside at this wonderful time of year.

Causes of spring allergies

Any allergy is a reaction of the immune system to external and internal irritants. This can also be called increased sensitivity of the body. Thus, histamine begins to be produced from mast cells. After which all the symptoms of the disease appear. Spring allergies occur for the following reasons:

• Autoimmune disease;
• Reduced immunity;
• Genetic predisposition;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Presence of other types of allergies.

Hay fever occurs as a result of contact of human mucous membranes with pollen particles. Already in March, the trees that cause the disease begin to bloom: birch, alder, oak, hazel, ash, maple. The particles must be small. Thus, coniferous plants cannot provoke a reaction, due to sufficient large sizes pollen, which prevents it from entering the body.

The risk areas include the following:

• Residents major cities. It is this population that is exposed to the effects of large industrial complexes which pollute the air with emissions and toxic substances.
• A person whose blood relatives include patients with various types allergies.
• Observing poor nutrition The microflora of the stomach and intestines is disrupted, which always leads to a decrease in immunity.
• A person who has undergone major surgery.

Symptoms of spring allergies

Spring allergies usually appear immediately. All symptoms may persist long time, until the fall, when the weeds begin to bloom. Sometimes the signs of allergies in the spring are confused with symptoms of a cold. Thus self-treatment starts out wrong from the start. If the cause of the disease is heredity, then the symptoms will begin already in childhood(5-7 years). Allergies affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin.

Thus, from the respiratory system, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis occur almost immediately. The patient suffers from severe nasal congestion, which alternates heavy discharge sputum. As a result of the irritating effect of pollen on the mucous membrane, the patient suffers from severe itching and burning in the nose. Frequent bouts of sneezing and severe lacrimation occur. Pollen, entering the nasopharynx, has an aggressive effect on the throat, after which the person suffers from coughing attacks that can lead to suffocation.

Quincke's edema is of great danger. Swelling of the respiratory organs, limbs, internal organs is developing very rapidly. The supply of oxygen to the lungs is blocked, which can lead to asphyxia. To prevent this, you need to start timely treatment and follow preventive measures all year round. From the outside skin the following symptoms appear:

• Hives;
• Eczema;
• Dermatitis;
• Itching and burning of the skin.

Undesirable manifestations, as a rule, intensify at night, which leads to insomnia. All this provokes low productivity, apathy, and depression. Sometimes the patient complains of nausea, irregular bowel movements, and diarrhea. Loss of appetite occurs and irritability increases. Complications of spring allergies include disturbances in heart function, decreased blood pressure, bronchial asthma.

Treatment of spring allergies

Treatment of any allergy must begin with a diagnosis. For this purpose, specialists prescribe certain tests. So, the patient needs to donate blood for a test that will reveal the presence or absence of antibodies. Most effective method diagnostics are skin tests. Solutions with suspected allergens are applied to the surface of a small area of ​​skin, and the body’s reaction is observed. This way, you can quickly identify exactly the plant that caused your allergies in the spring.

A modern method of treating allergies is immunotherapy. Its essence lies in the systematic introduction of a small amount of a solution with an allergen into the patient’s body. Thus, the immune system gradually gets used to the allergen and begins to respond adequately to it. Over time, the system independently produces antibodies to this substance. Therapy is the most effective method of treatment in which the recurrence of allergies is excluded. The disadvantages include its duration (1-2 years). And also the fact that all injections are carried out only in a hospital clinic, which is not always convenient.

As a rule, specialists prescribe antihistamines for the treatment of spring allergies. There are three generations of them. The latter has a minimum number of contraindications, and adverse reactions. Allergists select the drug individually for each patient, based on specific situation. All of them are aimed at stopping the release of histamine, which relieves allergy symptoms. Among such drugs against spring allergies are the following:

Spring allergies require symptomatic elimination of the disease. For this purpose, topical medications are prescribed. Yes, to remove allergic rhinitis Nasal drops and sprays are required. They will help relieve swelling of the mucous membrane, free the cavity from phlegm, and relieve nasal breathing. The most effective are vasoconstrictor sprays and drops. This type is used when acute course illness. Puffiness is eliminated in a matter of minutes. But, accept them long period time prohibited as they are addictive. These include:

• Naphthyzin;
• Nazivin;
• Sanorin;
• Galazolin.

Antihistamine nasal drops relieve not only the symptom of allergies in the spring, but also affect the cause itself. In this way, local immunity is established. The release of mediators into the blood is blocked. Such nasal agents can be used both short-term and long-term. In the latter case, the patient must suffer from year-round allergic rhinitis. At the same time, it is necessary to periodically replace the drug so as not to cause addiction to the mucous membrane. Among the most effective are the following:

• Allergodil;
• Fenistil;
• Levocabastine;
• Cromhexal;
• Zyrtec.

Eliminating spring allergy symptoms such as urticaria or allergic dermatitis requires the use of creams and ointments. They are available on a hormonal and non-hormonal basis. The latter are used in in rare cases when other means do not bring the desired effect. They are highly effective, but their use is limited to a week, because addiction occurs. Also main component may have an impact on hormonal background human, disrupting the functions of other body systems.

Non-hormonal ointments can be used for a long period of time. Such local remedies to eliminate skin manifestations spring allergies have a cooling effect. Thus, itching and burning quickly decreases, which leads to fast healing wounds and ulcers. Such ointments have anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, antibacterial effects. Experts recommend the following among them:

• Fenistil gel;
• Skin cap;
• Wundehill;
• Bepanten;
• Panthenol;
• La-cree.

Prevention measures

To prevent the development of spring allergies, you must follow certain rules all year round. Important role Following a simple diet plays a role. Pollen from many plants is known to cause cross-reactions with food. In spring, mainly trees bloom, so you need to exclude the following cross-products from your diet:

• Apricot;
• Nuts;
• Birch sap;
• Apples;
• Cherry, cherry.

Nutrition must be correct and balanced in order to establish intestinal microflora, on which normal operation immune system. Required condition is a refusal bad habits(alcohol and smoking). During periods of active flowering in spring, you need to be extremely careful. Try not to go outside during the day in calm weather. It is at this time that the pollen concentration reaches its maximum value. Walking should be done in the evening or after rain. Avoid parks and squares with large areas of greenery. Try to travel less outside the city and into nature in the spring.

When ventilating the room, curtain the window or door wet rag so that it catches pollen particles, preventing them from entering the apartment. Wet cleaning of the house should be done regularly. Many people recommend installing air purifiers and humidifiers. Carpets, interior items, soft toys, books can accumulate allergens. Therefore, it is better to get rid of them. When you come home from the street, be sure to wash yourself thoroughly, rinse your nose and eyes, and change into clean home clothes.

For rinsing the nose, you can prepare a special brine at home. This will require two spoons sea ​​salt, a glass of warm boiled water. After mixing the ingredients, rinse twice a day. nasal cavity. This will help quickly wash away all allergens, restore the mucous membrane and local immunity.

Video about polynosis

Very soon the long-awaited blooming and sunny April will come, and with it its faithful companion, allergies.

Where is the justice? Many people rejoice at the arrival of spring, the first thawed patches, leaves and flowers. A quarter of the population awaits her arrival with horror, and over time begins to cry, and also sneeze, itch and cough. This spring is like a bone in their throat for them; it would be better if it never came.

What is an allergy in spring, or hay fever?

To put it simply, an allergy is increased sensitivity to anything. This is an immune disease. Our body is constantly in contact with agents through its skin and mucous membranes. external environment. The receptors “skillfully distinguish between self and non-self agents” and send signals to the immune system. If there are too many foreign irritants, the body begins to produce histamines. Histamines cause a runny nose, watery eyes, cough and itching. In response to this, our body also produces antihistamines, which prevent the development of allergic reaction. So, if for some reason there are not enough of these same antihistamines, an allergy occurs. In this case, we start taking antihistamines (anti-allergic).

By the way, have you ever noticed that a package of antiallergic drugs most often contains no more than ten tablets? This is no accident. It is known that after 2 weeks of use antihistamines, our body, having become completely lazy, stops producing its own antihistamines. Therefore, you should not abuse these drugs. Use only as a last resort when allergies worsen.

The main cause of spring allergies is pollen which is carried by the wind. Interestingly, the first symptoms may appear a week before flowering begins. It is pollen brought by the wind from more southern regions that causes the first unpleasant symptoms.

About a hundred plants are known to cause allergies. Birch is in first place in terms of harmfulness. It would seem that everyone’s favorite “Russian beauty” brings so much trouble to millions of people. Further in descending order are alder, hazel, maple, flowering herbs, cereals and fruit-bearing trees (apple, cherry).

Interesting fact. Poplar fluff, which is considered the culprit of all the ills of humanity, which appears at the beginning of summer, is not the cause of hay fever! It just spreads pollen from cereals, which are actively blooming at this time.

Swelling of the mucous membrane of the nose and nasopharynx, tears (allergic conjunctivitis), runny nose, severe nasal congestion, uncontrollable sneezing, cough, sore and sore throat, fatigue, possible attacks of suffocation - these are the main ones allergy symptoms, because it is sometimes quite difficult to distinguish it from a common cold. Here are a few differences:

If you have allergies you will never have a fever

Symptoms usually last more than a week

You feel worse in the morning than in the evening

Feel better after rain

Often there is a sudden cough at night

At home, symptoms decrease, but when going outside they worsen

Diagnosis of pollen allergy.

1. Skin tests. One of the simplest and precise methods. Carry out before/after the exacerbation season. The doctor makes incisions on the skin. Minimal doses of the allergen (plant pollen) are applied to the scratched skin. Next, the doctor monitors the skin reaction.
2. Definition total immunoglobulin E. Blood from a vein is taken exclusively on an empty stomach. An increase in immunoglobulin E indicates the presence and severity of an allergy.
3. Determination of specific immunoglobulin E. The same study, only immunoglobulin is determined in relation to a specific potential irritant based on a conversation with the patient and the nature of the area in which the latter lives.

How to treat spring allergies

So far, medicine does not know drugs that can 100% rid humanity of allergies. Allergy treatments in the spring are mainly aimed at combating histamines and reducing exposure to your allergen.

Perhaps the most obvious and impossible for most residents of our country is to move to another region during the spring flowering season. Sit there until “your allergen” fades. This implies that you know “your enemy by sight.”

When you return home, be sure to take a shower and wash your hair. If you have a pet, then you will have to wash it very often.

It won’t hurt to rinse the mucous membranes of your nose and eyes with water after walking.

It is safer to go outside after 11 a.m., during rain or immediately after it, when pollen is still nailed to the ground. And its concentration in the air is minimal. During the flowering period, do not dry your clothes on the balcony, as a lot of pollen settles on it.

In addition, your allergist will prescribe you antihistamines, which are available without a prescription and are very effective. These can be various sprays, drops, tablets, and in severe cases, injections.

Complications. You cannot self-medicate. The fact is that spring allergies are very insidious disease. It is often called the slow-motion killer. Incorrect treatment, neglected cases can lead to the development of bronchial asthma. Sometimes the situation can get complicated anaphylactic shock, unfortunately, not always ambulance manages to respond to calls regarding this matter.

Natalya Sarmaeva