"Every day is the hardest for an allergy sufferer": doctors warned that birch will bloom earlier

      Can an allergic person prepare for the season to survive it calmly?

      "The cold symptoms last more than a week? Urgently see an allergist!"

      Pollinosis, also known as seasonal allergy, is quite a common phenomenon today. Up to 10-15% of the world's population suffers from reactions to pollen. Recently, the Ministry of Health of Russia warned that this season, birch – the most aggressive allergen in the central part of Russia – will start to bloom three weeks earlier. The peak blooming due to the warm spring may fall in the third decade of April.

      Birch is a wind-pollinated plant. Its pollen is smooth and fine, which means it penetrates well into different parts of the respiratory tract, where it encounters immune system cells.

      "Allergy to tree pollen usually appears for most people in April-May, when alder and birch bloom. Moreover, in recent decades, the birch blooming period in Europe has become longer by 7-10 days. If seasonal allergies are not controlled according to the doctor's recommendations, they can expand. Symptoms that previously troubled only in spring can last until autumn," said Alexey Luntsov, head of the Republican Clinical Immunology Center of the RKB of Tatarstan, to "Tatar-inform."

      The doctor urged special attention to the following suspicious symptoms:

      nasal congestion;

      watery discharge;

      itching;

      sneezing;

      red eyes;

      bronchospasm.

      "If symptoms last longer than a simple cold, that is, more than a week and do not decrease, it is a warning sign. In this situation, it is necessary to urgently consult an allergist. The specialist will sort out the details, accompanying problems of the patient, and choose the optimal option for individual treatment, because there are simply no universal recipes for pharmacotherapy," explained the allergist.

      "The hardest day for an allergic person is hard to describe – they are all hard."

      Those who have lived with allergies for years and decades shared their experiences with "Tatar-inform."

      "I first encountered this problem at the age of three. I don't remember it well. My parents told me how one night I suddenly started to suffocate. An ambulance was called, and I was taken to the hospital," recalls Alexander.

      The man experiences the most problems, as a rule, from the end of April to the end of May – during the peak blooming of birch. To alleviate symptoms, he starts taking medications in advance.

      "The most common symptoms are swelling and difficulty breathing. In addition, my eyes start to itch and turn red, especially if I wear contact lenses. It's hard to describe the hardest day for an allergic person because they are all hard. Probably the worst is when you have to be outside for a long time," said Alexander.

      According to him, an allergy attack can be relieved by entering a cool, clean room, washing his face with cool water, and lying down with closed eyes for 20-30 minutes. The water washes away most of the pollen, and during the rest, the body returns to normal.

      "I developed allergies at a very young age, so I wouldn't say it affects my daily life in any way. Maybe I just don't know how people live without allergies. I'm used to the limitations, for example, not going outside during the blooming period. In general, I would advise anyone who has encountered allergies to consult a specialist as soon as possible," advises the man.

      Treatment should be done in a calm period to be ready for spring and summer.

      Talia, a resident of Kazan, developed allergies at the age of 19. During a routine walk in the park, her eyes suddenly started watering.

      "It turned out that I am allergic not only to birch but also to weeds. Usually, contact with pollen would cause tearing, a severe runny nose, and itching in the throat. Honestly, I was a bit confused when the doctor recommended that I not open the windows too often so that pollen wouldn't settle in the apartment," she told the agency's correspondent.

      Talia underwent a course of treatment – she received several immunoglobulin injections. Today, antihistamines help her when symptoms appear.

      "After the treatment course, I started to tolerate allergies more easily. Over the years, my symptoms have significantly weakened, and acute attacks do not occur. But still, in May, I often sneeze, my eyes turn red, and my voice gets hoarse," said the woman.

      Talia advises preparing in advance for the blooming season. She regularly consulted an allergist in advance – in the fall, when pollen is no longer in the air. She is convinced that treatment should be done in a calm period to be ready for spring and summer.

      How to survive blooming as an allergic person.

      How to make life easier during the seasonal allergy period? Doctors recommend:

      going out into nature on cloudy days, after rain;

      not going outside in dry, clear, sunny, windy weather;

      choosing places near water bodies for walks – there is less pollen concentration there;

      to prevent pollen from entering living spaces, it is better to keep windows closed – air conditioning systems are suitable for ventilation;

      upon returning home, it is necessary to wash the face with water, wash the hair, or better take a shower – this is a good way to remove pollen from the body.

      "Don't forget about cross-allergy. Some food products contain proteins similar to the main allergen of birch pollen. Among these products are apples, pears, cherries, sweet cherries, carrots, and hazelnuts. It should be noted that this protein is destroyed during thermal processing, while cross-reactions are caused by raw products," explained Alexey Luntsov.

      Can allergies be treated with allergens?

      Symptoms can be controlled with medications, but this is only a temporary solution to the problem. Hence the question: can the course of allergies be changed more effectively? Yes, this can be done using a special method – allergen-specific immunotherapy, abbreviated as ASIT.

      "Treatment is conducted using allergens. The method not only suppresses inflammation but also tries to ensure that immune system cells do not react with this inflammation upon contact with pollen," said the doctor.

      Special tablets or drops under the tongue are used in treatment. ASIT is conducted on an outpatient basis.

      Treatment begins in advance, at least three months before the blooming season. Allergies to tree pollen are treated in December-January, and to grasses – in February-March. As a result, the body stops reacting to pollen with inflammation. The need for medications disappears, and the risk of developing bronchial asthma decreases. After ASIT, allergies may recede for several years.

      Photo: © Vladimir Vasiliev / "Tatar-inform"