In response to the ingestion of an allergen in some people, an overreaction of the body develops, which is accompanied by various clinical manifestations – sore throat, swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, runny nose, sneezing and coughing. Complications of hay fever, for example, bronchial asthma, occur against the background of such an overreaction in many people prone to allergies.
Allergy to plant pollen and asthma: relationship
Pollinosis is the most common type of seasonal allergy. Many people know hay fever as hay fever.
Every spring, summer, and fall, plants throw tiny particles of pollen into the air to fertilize other plants of the same species.
Around the world, there are many national and government programs that are aimed at treating allergies to plant pollen, supporting people with bronchial asthma.
The allergic component of asthma is evidenced by the fact that asthma attacks occur in response to an allergen entering the human body. These substances include finely dispersed pollen of plants.
Complications of hay fever: developmental mechanism
When a person has hay fever, upon receipt of the stimulus, a cascade of physiological reactions is launched. Antibodies – immunoglobulins E – binds to the allergen. Histamine is released. In response to this, an excess amount of secretion begins to be secreted in the lung tissue (bronchi). Mucus causes blockage of the bronchi, and part of the lung tissue is temporarily shut off from the respiratory process. Reflexively a person coughs, but sputum does not expectorate. Soon an attack of suffocation comes.
During an attack, a person occupies a forced sitting position with support on his hands, the body is tilted forward, the shoulders are forced to rise up to increase the area of contact of the lung surface with oxygen.
Pollinosis and its complications: symptoms
The clinical manifestations of bronchial asthma include:
- Cough. An agonizing cough is accompanied by redness of the face and neck, coughing does not bring relief.
- Dyspnea. A characteristic symptom for bronchial asthma is dyspnea on exhalation – expiratory dyspnea. Due to the fact that mucus accumulates in the bronchi, part of the air from the chest can not go outside. Often accompanied by panic attacks, fear.
- Wheezing. Wheezing is heard even at a distance, without the use of a phonendoscope. Occur when air passes through the airways narrowed as a result of edema. However, when an attack of bronchial asthma is severe, the lung tissue can become “dumb” – the area of contact with air is so small that it temporarily falls out of the act of breathing.
- Attack of suffocation. During an attack, the muscles of the shoulder girdle, neck and trunk are involved in the respiratory process. The body is trying hard to help itself enrich the blood with oxygen.
- Over time, the shape of the chest changes. It takes on a “barrel-shaped” shape.
Provocateurs of an attack of bronchial asthma
- Pollen of plants.
Fine pollen contains protein, which causes allergic reaction of the body in allergies in response to the action of the stimulus. The release of histamine causes swelling of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, mucus from the nose, coughing and other symptoms. In people with bronchial asthma, this histamine release may increase the symptoms of the disease. A stuffy nose affects asthma control. In everyday life, a person inhales through his nose. At the same time, the air entering inside is humidified and becomes warm. During the attack, breathing is performed through the mouth. Such air is drier and colder and acts as an additional provocateur, only exacerbating an asthmatic attack.
- Alcohol.
Alcoholic beverages increase sensitivity to allergens, enhancing the clinical manifestations of hay fever. In this regard, during an exacerbation of allergies, it is recommended to avoid drinking alcohol.
- Tobacco smoke.
Products containing tobacco due to the chemical elements contained in it, including nicotine and resins, cause irritation of the respiratory system receptors and exacerbate the course of hay fever and bronchial asthma. This applies to both active and passive smokers. The principle of action of tobacco is one.
Bronchial asthma treatment
Currently, in the world, thanks to the joint development of scientists, doctors and clinical pharmacologists, a new concept for controlling the complications of hay fever has been created, tested and adopted.
Depending on the degree of bronchial asthma, and there are only five of them, the drugs used are somewhat different. With the transition to each new stage of complications of hay fever, a person’s first-aid kit is increased by one therapeutic agent. The degree of bronchial asthma is determined by the frequency of seizures.
When treating complications of hay fever, one should strictly follow the recommendations of the attending physician and carefully listen to one’s internal sensations in order to recognize the approach of an attack of bronchial asthma in time.
The composition of the first-aid kit for bronchial asthma
- Bronchodilator drugs.
Based on the name of the group of drugs, these funds are aimed at relaxing the bronchial tree. They cause the expansion of the narrowed gaps of the bronchi, thereby facilitating the access of oxygen to the tissues.
- Glucocorticosteroid drugs.
These are substances of a hormonal nature that have an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing the degree of an allergic reaction, removing swelling of the mucous membrane of the respiratory system.
- Mast cell membrane stabilizers.
Histiocytes are a type of colorless blood cells – white blood cells. Under the action of an allergen, when there is an allergy to plant pollen, histamine, a biologically active substance, is released from mast cells, which causes a cascade of reactions: narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, swelling of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and other changes. Mast cell stabilizers inhibit the release of histamine from these cells.
- Expectorants.
The action of mucolytics is based on diluting sputum and facilitating its discharge from the respiratory tract.
- Monoclonal antibodies.
Compared with other drugs used to treat complications of hay fever, they appeared relatively recently. However, it should be remembered that these drugs can only be used if a doctor is prescribed, after an allergy to pollen has been proven.