Allergy medications: when to use and how they work

Runny nose, itching, hives, swelling, headache and conjunctivitis are not all the symptoms that are observed during allergies. The cause of an allergic reaction can be food, pollen, dust, mold, or animal dander. Allergy symptoms can be caused by various substances, even simple water.

In different countries, the frequency and manifestation of the disease vary dramatically due to the peculiarities of the climatic conditions of the region, the environment, traditions and habits of local residents. The disease can appear at any age, and anything can trigger its appearance.

How long can you take anti-allergy medications?

Allergy symptoms can last for a long time, so taking antihistamines usually lasts a long time.

Often one type of medication does not bring the expected result, so you have to additionally combine other drugs. It may take several weeks to several months to take the medications.

To select the right combination of medications, an allergist must conduct a skin test. To do this, the patient is given a needle containing various types of allergens. Based on the reaction obtained, a conclusion is made; the results of the study help to identify the exact allergen and select the appropriate medications.

Zodak is an excellent remedy against allergies.

Who and where is ASIT therapy performed?

ASIT therapy must be carried out in a medical facility. The injections are administered by a nurse who has the appropriate certificate, under the supervision of an allergist, or by an allergist. After the injection, it is necessary not to leave the medical facility for some time so that the doctor can monitor the patient’s reaction to the administration of the drug.

Efficiency:

For hay fever, the effect of treatment using the ASIT method reaches 80–100% with proper examination and course of treatment. For polyvalent allergies (when a person reacts to different groups of allergens), treatment with this method gives good results not only in the treatment of pollen allergies, but also significantly alleviates the manifestations of household allergies

At the All Medicine Clinic, under the guidance of an experienced allergist-immunologist, any patient suffering from allergies can undergo a full diagnosis and begin treatment with ASIT therapy.

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Is there a chance to completely get rid of allergies?

There are quite a few cases where the disease was completely overcome. For example, you can get an allergy vaccine. An allergenic substance is introduced into the human body, the dose of the drug increases each time. The technique allows the body to develop an addiction, when a real situation of collision with an allergen occurs, there are usually no consequences.

Today there is a painless treatment method that can help eliminate allergies. Taking antipollin and allergen drugs intended for sublingual immunotherapy of allergic diseases has an equally positive effect.

Useful habits

Patients with pollen allergies are advised to wear medical or gauze masks and sunglasses while outdoors, the doctor said.

“And when you come home, it’s better to immediately take off the clothes you wore outside, wash your face and, if possible, take a shower. It is advisable to wash your hair to get rid of particles that could get on it,” recommended Mukhina.

However, according to the expert, air purifiers can be used at home. All these methods will help reduce the adverse effects of pollen, the interlocutor of Moscow 24 emphasized.

How to cure a child from allergies

Children suffer from allergic diseases no less than adults. There is a sufficient number of facts proving that as children grow older, they can outgrow allergies, and the experts themselves do not deny this. With age, the allergic background and protective properties of the body change as the baby grows.

What can cause allergies

Often, for the youngest children, the source is excessive adherence to hygiene standards. One of the most common causes is sterile conditions.

Allergies can be caused by taking antibiotics, so it is extremely undesirable to give them to babies under one year of age.

In order to reduce allergy symptoms in a child, you should not immediately take synthetic drugs; it is better to use traditional recipes, since they are safe, unlike drops, tablets and ointments.

Usually, taking fructose in large quantities causes an allergic rash on the baby's body. Although many parents believe that eating a lot of healthy vitamins is beneficial, this is still a misconception. If the reaction to large portions of sweets becomes too violent, you will have to first reduce the dose; if no changes are observed, completely eliminate it from the diet.

Are allergy sufferers born or made?

Photo: depositphotos/AllaSerebrina

Allergy is a pathology with a hereditary predisposition, the doctor said. If both parents suffer from allergies, there is a 40–60% chance that their child will also have one.

If only one parent has an allergy, then the probability is slightly lower, but in any case the percentage is quite high. And the probability of having a child with allergies in absolutely healthy people is approximately 10–15%. Olga Mukhina

allergist

At the same time, according to the doctor, in the case of a genetic predisposition, the further manifestation of allergies is influenced by the conditions in which the child grows up.

“It is impossible to prevent allergies in a child, but there is an absolutely proven way to prevent or reduce the likelihood of allergic reactions - breastfeeding. Also, the mother should avoid smoking – both active and passive,” the expert added.

In addition, during complementary feeding it is very important not to limit the child’s food intake, the doctor emphasized.

Can allergies develop into asthma?

Two serious diseases often occur in parallel, causing the appearance of negative symptoms - allergies and asthma. An established allergic diagnosis requires special attention, since the characteristic symptoms of the disease can interfere with the proper functioning of the respiratory system. Therefore, the answer to the question posed is obvious - if allergies are not treated for a long time, it can develop into bronchial asthma.

After all the listed facts regarding allergies, it is important to choose the right treatment method in order to avoid serious complications.

The safest thing to do is contact an experienced specialist and follow simple rules.

Invisible Enemy

There are over 300 thousand species of mushrooms in the world. Some of them are hazardous to health and cause various diseases, including fungal infections and allergic reactions. Mold is one of the few types of fungi that live in damp parts of the house or outdoors. You may have seen it growing on food, around windows, pipes or on your roof. Mold can also grow in damp basements or other parts of the home where air circulation is difficult, and it can grow anywhere from old books to straw or fallen leaves. The spores cause allergic reactions when inhaled and sometimes when they come into contact with the skin.

In Ukraine, mold fungi of the genus Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and less commonly Rhizopus are found predominantly in residential premises. People who spend a long time in damp rooms with a lot of mold are exposed not only to increased risks of respiratory diseases and infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, but also to the development of allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and bronchial asthma, which are associated with sensitization to mold fungi.

• Alternaria alternata is one of the most common molds. Increased sensitivity to Alternaria may be found in patients with severe bronchial asthma and signs of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Spores of this fungus are found in the air all year round, with peak concentrations towards the end of summer and early autumn.
• Cladosporium herbarum is found mainly outdoors, and the fungus itself lives on plants. The concentration of its spores in our latitudes increases in the spring-summer-autumn period and decreases closer to winter.
• Aspergillus fumigatus is often found in granaries, warehouses, and in warm, damp rooms. It plays a very important role in the development of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, fungal sinusitis and a number of other diseases.
• Penicillium chrysogenum (also known as P. notatum) is found primarily indoors, in food storage areas and in warehouses.

Disease prevention

For preventive purposes, you need to follow a few simple recommendations:

• take antihistamines prescribed by your doctor;
• do not contact with the allergen;
• wear sunscreen;
• carry out daily wet cleaning of the premises;
• After visiting the street, wash your hands thoroughly and take a shower.

People of the older generation remember the antihistamine medications that used to be sold in pharmacies; after taking them, they immediately fell asleep. Modern types of medications do not have this effect; thanks to the wide range, you can easily select drugs taking into account the specific characteristics of allergies.

Of course, allergens should be avoided by everyone without exception who is susceptible to a negative reaction, since the consequences of an allergic reaction can be unpredictable, including anaphylactic shock.

Allergic conjunctivitis. Folk remedies and recipes.

In addition to medications, cold compresses can help treat inflammation of the mucous membrane around the eyes. Soak a clean towel in ice water or place teaspoons in the freezer and apply to your eyes.

The already mentioned aloe extract copes well with inflammation of the conjunctiva. Moisten a clean swab, cotton pad, or piece of gauze with the juice and apply (like a compress) to your eyes and leave for five to ten minutes.

You can also prepare a fairly effective solution from aloe. Take a few freshly cut leaves of the plant, put it in a container and pour boiling water over it. Wait until the temperature of the liquid drops to a comfortable level (room temperature or slightly higher) and rinse your eyes with it. To achieve maximum effectiveness, the procedure should be repeated three to four times a day.

Swelling of the eyelids, which occurs with chronic conjunctivitis, can be treated with compresses made from ordinary tea leaves. Brew strong (but not too strong) black tea, cool it to a comfortable temperature, and soak cotton pads in it. They should be placed on the eyes for no longer than twenty minutes. Repeat the procedure four to five times a day.

Types of allergies and methods of control

There are many types of allergies of different nature. The most common symptoms include nasal congestion, skin inflammation, and red eyes. However, less familiar symptoms may also appear.

For example, allergic swelling of the eustachian tube causes congestion in the ears and impairs hearing. As a result of swelling of the respiratory system, shortness of breath occurs. Eczema is quite difficult to treat and is often also a manifestation of an allergic disease.

One of the simple and affordable ways to treat allergies at home is to take antiallergic medications for 4-5 days. During the indicated period, it is worth monitoring your general well-being and pronounced symptoms. If their indicators decline, then the course of therapy has been chosen correctly.

Symptoms

Signs of an allergy can occur upon contact with the source of the allergy or during prolonged accumulation of the irritant in the body. The first option is most often found in children, since their immunity is not yet fully adapted to environmental influences.

Let's look at the main signs of allergies by category in the following table.

In rare cases, allergies manifest themselves in the form of loss of consciousness, anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema, etc.

Such symptoms are not always the result of an allergy. In order to make an accurate diagnosis, consult your doctor, he will refer you for tests.