Every year, more and more ''Allergic to Spring" patients come to me for consultation with the question: How to live with Pollinosis?
The number of patients with pollinosis is indeed increasing every year, now affecting about 15% of the population. This means that among your friends or relatives there is bound to be someone who sneezes, coughs, rubs his eyes and complains of headaches between April and September.
And even if you are not one of them, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that seasonal pollen allergy will not strike you this year or next year. Science has not yet definitively established the mechanism of tree and grass pollen allergy in a particular person – all we know is that it can appear and begin to poison your life at any age.
No one is immune.
The peak age of onset of this allergy in adults is 20-30 years old. But there are debuts at 45-50 years old as well.
People often don't realize that they already suffer from pollen allergies: for example, for years on end, they attribute the runny nose, sneezing and lacrimation to a seasonal cold. The initial symptoms of pollen allergy are indeed similar to those of an acute respiratory infection, but there is an important difference: a mild allergic reaction never manifests itself with a fever.
What to do?
Sooner or later, patients do become aware of what is happening to them and come to the doctor.
For many people, it may be sufficient to take medications that relieve unpleasant symptoms – and that will allow them to get through periods of pollen allergy relatively comfortably. The truth is that none of these remedies will help "cure" allergies: they only work today and now, and next season the pollen allergy is sure to return.
In addition to medications, many devices have appeared in recent years to improve the quality of life of allergy sufferers.
For example, nasal filters, which are inserted into the nostril cavity and trap pollen, preventing it from reaching the mucosa.
Using a nasal filter marks a new era in allergy control, as it creates a protective barrier and "works" directly at the site of the allergic reaction, the nasal mucosa. Most importantly, it eliminates the very cause of the allergy, prevents contact and exposure to allergens on the nasopharyngeal mucosa, and prevents the onset of an allergic reaction and the development of symptoms of allergic rhinitis.
There are also special powder nasal sprays, which form a film of micro-gel on the nasal mucosa and thus also create a mechanical barrier.
Also during pollen season, allergy sufferers should limit their time outdoors in dry weather, keep windows in the house closed if possible, wear sunglasses, shower with head washing, change clothes completely after returning from the street, and use air purifiers or air conditioners to help maintain a healthier microclimate at home.
Although pollen is to blame for all the problems allergy sufferers face during spring, did you know that only about 50 plants out of the whole variety of flora are considered significant for the development of pollinosis?