Spring is just coming into its own, but for those allergic to pollen, it’s time to start preparing for the flowering season. Associate Professor of the Department of Immunology, Russian National Research Medical University named after V.I. N.I. Pirogov, Ph.D. Olga Pashchenko told how to determine if you have an allergy and which foods are best to get rid of so that there are no complications.
23 март 2019 година
An allergic reaction can manifest itself at any age, since a predisposition to it is transmitted from generation to generation, and not only from direct relatives. Whether the disease manifests itself depends on several points: nutrition, place, living and working conditions, bad habits. These are the main, but far from the only factors influencing the situation. Most people are potential allergy sufferers; many have an element of predisposition.
Often, patients mistake an allergy for a cold. The main difference is the duration of the disease. Often there is a situation when after ARVI there is a long tail of a runny nose or cough – up to a month or more. The nature of the manifestations can change: the intensity of the symptoms decreases, the cough becomes paroxysmal, makes itself felt in the late afternoon and night. Symptoms can sometimes worsen after exposure to a suspected allergen. A simple example: an animal has appeared in the family. The child caught a cold, after which coughing persisted for several weeks. In this case, the most likely allergy is to pet hair or dandruff.
With hypersensitivity to pollen, there are three ways out of the situation. The easiest way is to leave for the time of flowering in regions where there is no such vegetation (or flowering falls on a different period). This option is not for everyone. Another technique is more often used – a preventive course of special drugs, which begins two to three weeks before flowering. Use tablets or syrups, topical preparations – intranasal drops and sprays, ophthalmic agents.
The third method, the use of which is gaining momentum all over the world, is allergen specific immunotherapy (ASIT). The essence of the method lies in the long-term intake of small doses of an allergen that negatively affects the state of health. For example, in case of a reaction to pollen, drugs are taken three to four and even six months before the onset of flowering for several years. There are tools that are used all year round. During the treatment, a restructuring of the immune system takes place, an addiction to the allergen occurs, as a result of which the negative reaction either decreases or disappears altogether. The effectiveness of therapy reaches 95 percent.
To help medicines
To alleviate symptoms, during an exacerbation of allergies, do wet cleaning in the apartment more often, monitor the diet. In difficult times, the body may not react in the best way, even to familiar foods. Limit your intake of citrus fruits, nuts, honey, chocolate, smoked and cold meats. Be careful with spices, strawberries, eggs.
Важно е да се знае
Antihistamines only relieve symptoms, they do not cure. To keep the disease under control, you need to consult a specialist. He will help you find an allergen provocateur and prescribe therapy.