Allergy is one of today's rapidly increasing and popular diseases. It is a hypersensitivity reaction of the body's immune system to any substance it is exposed to through inhalation or contact. The allergen, which is not actually harmful, is perceived as foreign by the body's defense system and an extreme reaction called allergy develops. People who are prone to allergies are called 'atopic'. Atopy is not considered a disease but is an inherited trait. It is more common in people with fair skin and in people living near the sea or in humid environments. Most allergens that cause allergies are substances of organic origin. Allergic disorders are more common in developed countries. It is known that stress, busy working environment, increased air pollution, and additives added to food lead to an increase in the incidence of allergies. Allergic conditions can affect people of all ages. The incidence of allergic reactions increases with genetic predisposition. If the mother or father has an allergy, this rate increases up to 25 percent.
The most common allergens are;
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Grass and tree pollens
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Skin or fur of pets
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Various foods (milk, eggs, soy, seafood, fruit and nuts)
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House and dust mites
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Fungi or mold spores
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Bee stings
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Some drugs
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Chemical resins, rubber, nickel
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Tire, rubber items such as
Necklace, earring-style jewelry
Allergic diseases
<Allergic rhinitis or allergic rhinitis
Rye flu or allergic conjunctivitis
Allergic asthma
Urticaria (Hives)
Drug allergy
Insect allergy
Bee allergy
Food allergy
Eczema
Atopic Dermatitis
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Pollen allergy
It increases periodically in the spring months
When it comes to allergies, it is caused by pollen, the harbinger of spring. The most important problem; allergies. Spring months are the time when seasonal allergies are most common. During this period, it is the most difficult time period, especially for people with seasonal allergies, as tree pollen, grass, flower and tea pollen change places frequently due to the influence of the wind. During the spring season, plant pollen is heavily mixed into the air. Since pollen mixes with the air, allergies are seen especially in the eyes and respiratory system during this period. The most common plants that can cause pollen allergies are grass, meadow and cereal pollens such as barley, oats, rye and corn. Weed pollens and some tree pollens (birch, poplar, olive, plane tree, etc.) constitute other pollen groups.
With seasonal warming, these can cause reactions in the period starting from March to September and October. They vary greatly depending on their location and season. Trees are the cause of increased allergies in early to mid-summer, grasses in late spring and early summer, and herbs in late summer and early autumn. This problem most often manifests itself as spring fever and sometimes asthma. It is necessary to be protected from allergies caused by pollen, especially in the spring months.
Almost all people with pollen allergies experience eye and nose symptoms. Symptoms that can be observed are watery eyes, itching, redness, runny nose, congestion, sneezing and nasal itching. In some patients, the lower respiratory tract is also affected and asthma occurs. In this case, shortness of breath, cough, feeling of tightness in the chest, wheezing and wheezing may be observed.
How is allergy detected?
Skin tests or allergen-specific antibodies from blood. The responsible allergen can be detected by examining the skin. Allergy medications, which we call antihistamines, should be stopped approximately 2 weeks before skin tests. These tests are not used for allergy diagnosis, but for detecting the touched allergen. If the patient's allergic sensitization is below the sensitivity of the test, the tests may remain negative even though the patient is allergic.
So, what should we do to prevent pollen allergy?
To make life easier if you have pollen allergy. Some precautions can be taken.
Pollen begins to fly between 04:00-05:00 in the morning and continues until 21:00-22:00 in the evening. They continue to be dual. They are more concentrated in the air in the morning hours and their effects decrease with later hours.
If possible, let's not go out early in the morning. If we absolutely have to go out, let's wear a mask or cover our mouth and nose with a tissue. Let's stay outdoors as short as possible and stay away from nature and picnic areas.
Let's ventilate our home in the evening instead of the morning. Let's not open the balcony doors and windows to ventilate the house as soon as we get up.
If our allergies are intense and our complaints do not subside even though we do not go out and use our medications regularly, a filtered ventilation or air cleaning device will purify the air in indoor environments from pollen.
Home and car air conditioners should be maintained and pollen filters should be cleaned once a year.
If we use glasses, we should clean our glasses regularly. Let's wash it. Any pollen that sticks to the glasses will cause us to get sick.
Do not take off your daily clothes in your bedroom.
We should avoid drying the laundry outdoors. Pollen may settle on the laundry.
When we enter the house from outside, we should definitely wash our hands and face and remove pollen.
Do sports outdoors during pollen season. It is not right to do. Again, sunglasses that cover the sides of the eyes may be beneficial
The first step of treatment in pollen allergy is prevention. If complaints persist despite applying preventive methods, antiallergic drugs, which we call antihistamines, and drops and sprays applied locally to the nose or eyes constitute the first part of drug treatment. Some of the sprays/drops applied locally to the nose and eyes contain cortisone, but they do not cause any side effects on other organs of the body.
Vaccine treatment is used in patients who cannot get the desired results with drug treatment during the pollen period and whose allergies are confirmed by skin tests. Also known as immunotherapy, it can be applied.
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