For people with seasonal allergies, spring and summer may not be a joy. But not everyone knows that cough or runny nose, and in some patients even attacks of atopic asthma can be provoked even out of season, due to the presence of cross-allergens. Many have never wondered why it is difficult for them to breathe during a thunderstorm, or why their lips itch and swell after they have eaten fruit. It is important to know about your illness as much as possible in order to rule out attacks not only during the season, but also at a relatively safe time.
Pollen allergy: hundreds of kilometers of danger
Many people with seasonal pollen allergies are aware that temporary relocation may help alleviate their symptoms. But it is important to understand that pollen is carried by the wind and can travel considerable distances. Therefore, if an allergy threatens with the start of the season, the place for temporary shelter should be sufficiently distant from the danger zone.
For example, ambrosia pollen can be detected as early as mid-late July in some parts of the country, but mostly flowering and worsening of allergies occur in mid-August, with a peak in early September.
Scientists measured the concentration of pollen in the air: it was found that it spreads within a radius of up to 600 km in width and up to 3 km up into the atmosphere. Therefore, if the patient is threatened by seasonal allergy, going out of town does not solve the problem, we need a change in the climate zone.
Flowers do not provoke exacerbation of the disease
Experts say that pollen rarely worsens the symptoms of seasonal allergies. This is due to the fact that flowers are rarely pollinated and do not become triggers of the disease. Usually there is no allergy to flowers, more often the cause of the disease becomes pollen of weeds, grasses or trees.
Pollen is heavy and does not enter the air like pollen from trees, grass or weeds. Plus, since the flowers are designed for insect pollination, they do not produce it in large quantities. But wind-pollinated plants provoke a runny nose and itching, reddening of the eyes, producing a large amount of pollen, carried by the wind and falling on the mucous membranes, which becomes the cause of the disease.
Runny nose is becoming more protracted
Every year, the season of allergies, and therefore runny nose with lacrimation, coughing and other symptoms, becomes longer. There is a good reason for this, which scientists call. Increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will stimulate the reproductive cycle of plants, causing them to produce more pollen and provoke a longer runny nose or other manifestations.
A 2011 study by the US Department of Agriculture showed that since 1995, the ambrosia flowering season has lengthened from 13 days to 27 days. And in spring, tree pollen appears a few weeks earlier than 20 years ago.
Beetles and ladybugs: causes of cough and allergic attacks
Although most beetles, including ladybirds, do not bite and are not dangerous for ordinary people, they can provoke problems with allergies. They can cause allergies if at the end of the season they find shelter in their homes. Experts say that such a variant of the disease is possible, similar to reactions to cats, dogs or pollen. Symptoms include cough, nasal congestion and worsening of asthma. It is necessary to avoid contact with them, and if insects are found in the house, it is important to carry out a complete treatment so that during the cold season he does not suffer from cough or other manifestations.
Thunderstorms aggravate asthma symptoms
Rain is usually a significant relief for people with allergies (especially if bronchial asthma) because it precipitates pollen from the air. But this does not apply to thunderstorms. During thunderstorms, allergens do not precipitate, but only concentrate in the air, and even electrify. Such “hyperactive” allergens carried by the wind often lead people with asthma to the emergency room. Therefore, patients who have been diagnosed with atopic bronchial asthma should use their inhalers and be prepared for exacerbation during a thunderstorm.
Some products are associated with pollen allergies.
Some allergic people complain that the use of certain products leads to swelling and itching of the lips, swelling of the gums and tongue. This is most typical for eating fruits and vegetables. In people with pollinosis, oral allergy syndrome is possible, which is caused by a cross-reaction to allergens that pollen contains.
Molecules similar in structure may contain vegetables, some nuts or fruits. So, birch pollen is associated with reactions to apple, almond nut, carrot, hazelnut, kiwi, ripe peaches, pears, celery stalks, cherries or plums. Weed pollen can give reactions to celery stalks, ripe melons, oranges, peaches and tomatoes. People who are allergic to ambrosia can react negatively to a banana, cucumber, melon, sunflower seed or zucchini.
Fruit and nut peels can cause dangerous rashes.
Although this is not a very common problem, a dangerous rash is possible, which resembles burns with hogweed or poison ivy, if allergies apply peels with mangoes and unprocessed cashews. The rash can last for several days, as a rule, no other symptoms appear.
It is also possible to react to cosmetics containing plant essential oils that cross-react with pollen allergens. Therefore, when carrying out cosmetic procedures, care must be taken.
Stress increases allergy symptoms
Psychological stress can aggravate the course of the disease, there may be more frequent and severe attacks of asthma, a common rash, tissue swelling. Anxiety, anxiety makes breathing more intermittent and less deep, which can provoke an attack or make it heavier. Studies have shown that stress, as is known, increases the frequency of hospitalizations with complications or severe asthma, and increases the need for additional treatment. Even too long a laugh or strong crying, fear, or severe anger can disturb breathing. Therefore, it is important to control your breathing, fight stress, learn to relax.