Allergy: Knowing its Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

When spring arrives, one of the most pronounced words is: allergy

There are allergies related to the weather, the geographical situation or the hygienic conditions.
There are truly temporary ones.

Experts do research to learn more about their causes, to improve methods for diagnosing and treating them, and eventually to prevent them.

What is ALLERGY?

An allergy is a specific immunological reaction of the body towards a normally harmless substance, which may not affect other people.

People with allergies are often sensitive to more than one substance.

There are different allergies (allergic rhinitis, hives, eczema…)

FACTORS that can cause ALLERGY

• Pollen (more information on pollen levels can be obtained at the different observatories in Catalonia at the following address: Aerobiological Information Point (Xarxa Aerobiològica de Catalunya)).
• Dust particles
• Spores from flowers or fungi
• Certain foods
• Latex rubber
• Insect poison
• Medicines

MITES AND FUNGI, CAUSES OF ALLERGIES

• Mites are microorganisms of the arachnid family that live in mattresses, cushions or in the mosaic of houses. They feed on scales or dead cells that people's skin sheds. It is the excrement of these little animals that causes the allergy.
• Fungi are microscopic plants that grow in damp places. They are in the dust that forms on objects that have been tidy or closed for a long time (that have become moldy). They can appear as small white, green, or black dots on food. This substance generates thousands of very small particles, called spores, which pollute the air and cause allergies when inhaled.

Why are there people who suffer from allergies and others who don't?

You can have a certain tendency to be allergic, in fact you are allergic to certain substances, although you have to expose yourself to the causative factors.

Exposure to substances that cause allergies (allergens) at a time when the body's defenses are low, or during pregnancy, can lead to allergy development.

What is an ALLERGIC REACTION?

Normally, our immune system reacts to invading agents, such as bacteria or viruses. In most allergies, moreover, the immune system reacts to a false alarm.

When an allergic person comes into contact with the allergen for the first time, their immune system treats this element as an invader and mobilizes to fight it. And it does this by creating large amounts of an antibody (disease-fighting protein) called immunoglobulin E, or IgE.

Each IgE antibody is specific for one type of allergen. In the case of pollen, each antibody is specific to a type of pollen.

When the allergen finds its specific IgE, it signals the cell to release powerful inflammatory substances, such as histamine. These chemicals act on different parts of the body, such as the respiratory system, and cause the described symptoms of allergies.

In people who are not allergic, the nasal mucosa expels foreign particles into the throat, where they are swallowed or coughed up.

When the allergen is a food or a medicine, and it is ingested or injected, or when an insect bites us and inoculates us with the venom, the substances pass into the blood and are carried through the skin, where they react with the antibodies of the allergy, which causes the blood vessels to dilate; then, the escape of the liquid at the local level causes the formation of crusts, or swelling.

ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common allergic diseases. The WHO considers it one of the six diseases that most frequently affect the population.

It is estimated that in developed countries between 5 and 25% of the population suffers from it. And everything seems to indicate that the incidence of allergies will increase in the future.

Rhinitis is the allergic reaction of the nasal mucosa membranes when they come into contact with one or more allergenic substances.

The symptoms are:

• Sneezing
• Watery nasal discharge (rhinorrhea)
• Stuffy nose
• Itchy eyes and tearing
• Itchy nose and throat
• Commonly, the symptoms of rhinitis are more acute during the day, and subside during the night.

The wind is a bad friend to rhinitis, because it carries pollen and spreads it. The best days are rainy days, except for those allergic to fungal spores, because the symptoms are aggravated by humidity.

The rhinitis picture has an evolution of two or three years, until it stabilizes. Although, in a few years, the hypersensitivity may disappear. Rhinitis can be seasonal or chronic (persistent throughout the year):

1. Seasonal rhinitis
   It is also called hay fever, although it has no relation tion neither with fever nor with hay.
   People who are sensitive to pollens from plants that depend on the wind for pollination, and to fungal and mold spores have it.
   Spring is possibly the season most hated by allergy sufferers. They are affected by pollen from trees and flowers in spring, and by grasses and garrigues in early summer and autumn. The most frequent allergens in the Mediterranean environment are:
   Pellitory
   banana trees
   grasses
   olives
2. Chronic rhinitis
   They occur throughout the year, although crises may occur in certain periods or in specific circumstances. Generally, the causes are: Mites, common components of household dust;
   Domestic animal hairs and shedding cells
   fungal spores
   The symptoms are almost the same as those of seasonal rhinitis, although the nasal blockage is more pronounced; but on the other hand there is no itching. Allergies to fungi can present the same symptoms as allergies to pollen and, in addition, cause itching in the neck, eyes and ears. On some occasions, they can be associated with headache, tiredness and loss of concentration. Allergic rhinitis can be complicated, causing hearing loss, sinusitis and nasal polyps. In children, they can cause changes in the bone structure of the palate and, even asthma.

How is an allergy DETECTED?

The most common method of doing this is skin testing, which measures a person's response to a test allergen that is injected intradermally.

PREVENTION

It becomes very difficult to prevent a reaction that can be triggered by tiny bodies carried by the air. Even so, the following recommendations can be made:

• Avoid allergens, to prevent the immune response. Keep the windows of houses and cars closed.
• Avoid spending too much time outdoors during pollination seasons, especially at sunset, when there is more pollen in suspension.
• Avoid the presence of animals in the houses. If this is not possible, ensure that they are very clean, and never allow them access to the bedrooms.
• Use waterproof covers for mattresses, duvets and cushions.
• Vacuum often the areas likely to accumulate more dust.
• Avoid rugs, feather cushions, and woolen blankets.
• Children should not sleep with stuffed animals.
• Use suitable face masks that filter the inhaled air.
• Apply the injection of extracts of allergens, to alter the immune response.

Can allergies be CURED?

Allergies cannot be cured, but their symptoms can be controlled.

After the tests and laboratory tests, it is necessary to establish which substances you are allergic to, and decide on the treatment, which will include:

• Methods to protect against allergens.
• Vaccine desensitization.
• Drug prescription.

TREATMENT

The pharmacy currently has many active ingredients to combat allergies, therefore, the role of the pharmacist is very important when it comes to resolving queries from those affected. The first thing to consider is the spawn mechanisms.

The most common treatments are the following:

• Saline baths
• Decongestants
• Antihistamines
• Anticholinergics
• Corticosteroids
• Immunotherapy (specific vaccination against the causing allergens) does not cure the disease, but it reduces the number of symptoms and makes their control easier.

Fuente: https://www.farmaceuticonline.com/es/alergia-acaros/