Spring isn't always all joy. Many of us have to face this time of year armed with handkerchiefs and eye drops. Seasonal allergies—that's the name of the enemy that makes us sneeze incessantly and wipe our red eyes. Experts estimate that the number of people suffering from seasonal allergies increases by 10% each year. This condition takes various forms. One of the most common is hay fever , a painful reaction to pollen from flowering plants.
Pollen allergies begin to manifest with the first warm days, when flowers bloom on trees and shrubs. For some people, the immune system somehow decides that pollen from this particular plant is dangerous and begins to reject its tiny particles, causing sneezing and tears. Most often, the first wave of hay fever hits allergy sufferers when trees begin to bloom, a second wave occurs when meadow grasses and cereals begin to bloom, and finally, a third wave of illness occurs during the weed season.
It's easy to tell that an allergy has started: a persistent runny nose that doesn't go away within 2-3 weeks, watery eyes, and a nasty dry cough wracking the lungs. Furthermore, a person has to spend a lot of time clearing their throat in the morning.
For some reason, people generally believe that treating allergies is futile: they say it will go away on its own when the plants stop blooming. But is suffering for weeks on end without doing anything really the answer? Modern medicine is quite successful in alleviating the suffering of allergy sufferers, so the best solution is to see a doctor and undergo the prescribed treatment.
The most effective treatment for hay fever is immunotherapy , which is administered in the fall or winter when the patient is in remission. The course typically lasts 2 to 3 months, during which the patient receives vaccinations. Allergens are initially administered in small doses, with the concentration gradually increasing. With such gradual steps, allergies can be eliminated completely after 3 to 4 years of systematic treatment.
There's also an “inpatient” treatment for hay fever , which involves confining the patient to a special hypoallergenic hospital room for the entire pollen season, which is at least 2-3 weeks. However, not everyone can afford to live as a recluse for such a long time – the modern pace of life doesn't allow for such a long period of self-isolation.
If hay fever becomes severe and a person simply cannot bear the allergic reactions, they may be advised to travel to areas where the pollen season has not yet begun or has already ended. This method, again, is not suitable for everyone.
What should you do? First, stop panicking ; your psychological state greatly influences the severity of your allergy. Two to three weeks before the expected onset of allergy symptoms, you should begin taking antihistamines prescribed by your doctor.
Another preventative measure is to avoid walking in dry and windy weather whenever possible. Rain and dampness are much easier for allergy sufferers, as water washes away some pollen, making it less of a health hazard. Before getting into a car, clean the interior to remove dust, and drive around the city only with the windows closed . When outdoors, protect your face with large sunglasses and wear a hat . Upon returning home, allergy sufferers should remove their outerwear , and someone in the family should thoroughly shake it out to prevent bringing dust into the room. Plain clean water will also help: wash your face frequently , as well as rinse your mouth and nose .
During the flowering period, the house should be wet-cleaned daily (but not by the allergy sufferer; family members should take care of this!). Opening windows at night is only permitted when there's no wind and the windows are protected by mosquito netting. Covering the windows with wet sheets at night is also a good idea.
An allergist can also help create a list of foods to exclude from your diet during the period of exposure. For example, those sensitive to birch pollen should temporarily avoid nuts, carrots, and apples, while those sensitive to weed pollen should avoid vegetable oil.
Following these rules will help reduce the symptoms of the disease and make spring allergies relatively easy to overcome.