Description hayfever
Hay fever or pollen allergy is a condition where hypersensitive immune system over-reacts to innocuous stimuli, in this case, pollen grains, but also other allergens such as dust, dust mites, animal dander, and certain foods.
Hayfever in this regard is somewhat a misnomer. Not only that allergy is hay as such, but mostly on plant pollen, but this allergy is sensitivity to other associates range of substances.Therefore, almost half of allergy sufferers miss “hay fever” or in the winter when in contact with pollen virtually come. Here you will hear an allergy to other substances such as dust and pet hair.
Seasonal pollen allergy is the most common type of allergy at all. Only here he has it for about a fifth of the population.
Body allergic unknown reasons reacts to common substances as if they were dangerous.Exagerated reaction but achieves the exact opposite-reaction itself is a nuisance. Ill causesfever, rash, or pain.
For exaggerated response to allergens can IgE antibodies, which usually occur only in the body in small amounts. When the antibody IgE, an allergic person comes into contact with a given allergen, such as pollen grain, activated IgE will mobilize supplies irritable mediator histamine that cause common symptoms such as sneezing, redness, and many others.
Often the allergic reaction does not occur immediately after the first meeting with the allergen.Often the immune system “realizes” that he does not like the substance until after several years of exposure to the antigen. Until then, it appears that the individual does not suffer from allergies.
Allergy is partly hereditary. For a child where one parent is allergic, the chances manifestation of allergies 30%. In the event that both are allergy parent will have offspring also allergy with 60% probability.
Risk factors for hayfever
Pollen, which threatens Allergy, produce so. Větrosnubné plants, pollinating the air. These include mainly grasses, trees and weeds. Conversely colored plants with a strong flavor are not as frequent cause of allergy because they are too large and heavy grains. The data is then transmitted to other plants, insects, and therefore are not dangerous for people with allergies.
In Central Europe, the pollen season begins with the early onset of spring. Will start her tree pollen, with the onset of summer grasses were added and the transition to autumn take over command of mold spores. The peak pollen season falls on the turn between the spring and summer, ie in June and time around it.
From the grass pollen are the most feared meadow species such as ryegrass, timothy or cocksfoot.Other allergens hiding example park grass mixtures. Tree pollen in the air occur from March to May.The best-known producers of pollen are various kinds of birch, hazel, ash, oak, sycamore and elm.
Many of these allergenic species are artificially planted along roads, so allergies not avoid people living in cities. Attention allergy sufferers definitely deserves and fungi that occur on the surface of rotten wood or fruit, or other mushrooms generally occurs in nature. Mold and fungi cause allergies especially in late summer and early autumn, the harvest period.
Prevention of hay fever
The basis of prevention of pollen allergy is to avoid contact with allergens. It is recommended to avoid staying outdoors in the risk period (early summer).
The highest concentration of pollen in the air in the early evening, so it is not recommended to go outside at this time of day. At night, keep your windows closed so pollen does not enter into the room.
Sunglasses prevent the ingress of pollen into your eyes. Cold shower every night, and wash away the hair and body of pollen grains that you would needlessly irritated at night.
Vacation is recommended for allergy sufferers by the sea, the salt air is beneficial for the respiratory tract and the concentration of pollen in these areas than inland.
At present, among the known prevention treatment vaccines, the allergy sufferer is given a series of punctures with active ingredients that would protect him all season.
Signs and symptoms of hayfever
Seasonal pollen allergy manifests a whole range of symptoms. From milder symptoms like fever, we can also meet with severe, life-threatening conditions such as asthma or anaphylactic shock.
Typical symptoms resemble upper respiratory tract. Hence the name “hay fever.” If irritant mediator histamine irritate the nasal mucosa, almost immediately occurs sneezing, which can associate into seizures several sneeze. There is no exception that allergic and twenty behind sneezes.
Additionally, itching may occur in the oral cavity, this occurs when the allergens from the nasal cavity via the nasopharynx and get into the mouth.
If patients itchy ears, this is due to nerve connections with the nasopharynx.
Affected nasopharyngeal mucosa produces an increased amount of liquid mucus, so allergy sufferers almost constantly flowing from his nose.
Another symptom is a runny nose, because the swollen nasal mucous impassable outlets. Since nasal congestion may arise other problems such as headaches.
If pollen grains get into the eyes, causing redness are known, burning and tearing. This flag can be at least partly prevent wearing large sunglasses.
Treatment of hayfever
In addition to the avoidance of allergenic factors have now thankfully allergists and other treatment options hayfever. At the pharmacy you can buy several different prescription drugs (eg. Zyrtec, Zodac and others).
Another option medications are decongestants. Breaking the swelling of the mucous membranes and thus release congested nose. They are sold in the form of sprays and nose drops. These drugs are also known as reliever as mitigating the consequences of an allergic reaction, but does not address the direct cause. Their disadvantage is that they act for a relatively short time.
Another treatment, again in the form of drops or sprays is to prevent the formation of irritable histamine, hence after taking the drug had an allergic reaction at all arise. Treatment with antihistamines is the most widely used therapy of allergic rhinitis, served both seasonal and year-round patients.
Further use steroids to reduce inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Steroid therapy is slower, the effects occur within one week. It is therefore not suitable as acute reliever therapy.
The last type of allergy treatment is a long-term treatment, which is designed to induce the patient certain tolerance to the allergen. This treatment is called hyposensitization and its efficiency is high, about 80%.
How can I help myself
In addition to all preparations to mitigate the impact of allergic rhinitis include advice and recommendations on how best to avoid contact with allergens.
In addition, of course we recommended to strengthen immunity vitamins, sufficient physical exercise and proper diet, because it is the immunity, which plays a crucial role in allergies.
Exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke can aggravate the course of allergy only and therefore recommends allergy to smoke, it is even known that children smokers daily coming into contact with the cigarette smoke are allergies of various kinds far more susceptible.
Pollens from his house can expel a frequent luxováním and wiping surfaces with a damp cloth.The smallest concentration of pollen is out at noon, approximately between 10 and 15 hours. This particular time is of walking out far better than the evening.
If anyone in your family suffers from allergies all year, area for accumulation of dust mites and proliferation is reduced by removing carpets, curtains and bedspreads. Moisture in the apartment is recommended to slightly under fifty saturated with water vapor. Too high humidity makes the proliferation of mites, too low humidity irritates the mucous membranes drying out.
Complications hayfever
Seasonal allergies are usually protracted and irksome problems. In severe cases, an allergy, the body can also cause such a violent reaction to an antigen that can be life-threatening condition.
Such conditions include asthma attack, the sufferer will narrow the airway so that she could not breathe properly and can lead to unconsciousness.
Another condition that can cause allergens is called. Anaphylactic shock. On the basis of the sharp drop in blood pressure are failing circulation and simultaneously airway obstruction. When this condition is life-threatening ill. Anaphylactic shock is mostly heavier reaction to allergens, such as e.g. insect sting. It can be successfully treated hormones such as adrenaline.
Other names: seasonal pollen allergy, pollinosis, pollinosis