Allergy symptoms, hay fever season is here

Spring has sprung and with it the symptoms of allergy begin to flare up. They are often unpleasant and, in some cases, difficult to bear. Therefore, in Probelte Pharma’s allergen immunotherapy blog, we explain why allergy symptoms become more acute in the spring, the different types ofallergy tests that exist and how to treat allergies. Also, we provide some tips on how to enjoy this time of year without being so badly affected by the symptoms of this pesky travelling companion.

 Why do allergy symptoms get worse in the spring?

Springis the scariest time of the year for pollen allergy sufferers, because this is the season when the symptoms are most acute. Plants produce pollen more frequentlyand this triggers the exaggerated, excessive response of the immune systems of allergy sufferers.

What are the symptoms of allergy?

Typically, an allergic person may suffer from nasal congestion, watery and itchy eyes, runny nose, loss of taste and even asthma, which is caused by inflammation and obstruction of the airways, making it difficult to breathe.

How can allergies be diagnosed?

To diagnose them, it is essential to see an allergy specialist and undergo an allergy test. The first step is to find out the patient’s medical history, as this will help to determine whether there is a chance that it is a chronic allergy or just an isolated episode.

The environmental conditions faced by the patient are another factor to be considered. So, the location and setting of their home and workplace will provide information to determine whether they are exposed to pollen because they are surrounded by flowers and/or plants. It is also important to find out if there are animals around them, as these can sometimes trigger this reaction in their bodies. Finally, it is important to ascertain whether there is a family history of similar conditions.

There are 2 procedures for allergy testing: skin tests and challenge tests. There are three types of the former:

• Prick test or intraepidermal test, which consists of applying a drop of an allergen extract onto the surface of the skin. After about 20 minutes, they check for redness, itching and swelling in the form of a wheal or welt.
• An intradermal test is similar to a prick test, but it is applied to the dermis and the allergen extract is diluted in water. This can provide an immediate reading (quicker than the above 20 minutes).
• Epicutaneous test (patch test) in which a patch containing one or more substances that trigger contact skin reactions is applied to the skin and a delayed hypersensitivity reaction is subsequently confirmed. The patch must be worn for 48 hours and the reaction is observed up to two days after it is removed.

The other type is called a challenge test, which consists of reproducing the target organ’s symptoms when the patient is exposed to the suspected allergen. Depending on the route of exposure, these tests may be ocular, nasal, bronchial, oral or parenteral.

How should allergies be treated?

Once the allergy test has been carried out to determine what causes it, we must treat it and, without doubt, one of the best options is treatment with immunotherapy (IT).

This is a long-term treatment, which offers a continuous and gradual improvement in the patient’s disease. The reason it is not a short-term treatment is because our body needs time to become immunised and tolerate these allergens properly, sometimes even years.

This type of treatment is the only one that can actually reduce the allergic patient’s reaction to the allergen. Therefore, it not only counteracts the allergy, it also cures it.

Tips to enjoy the spring

Allergy symptoms should not prevent us from enjoying the spring, so while we follow our treatment, it’s a good idea to keep windows closed, but don’t forget to ventilate and air the room.

Where possible, when you are outdoors, try to avoid spending time in gardens or places where there are a lot of flowers or plants, to avoid the allergen that triggers your reaction. Also, you should always wear sunglasses to keep pollen out of your eyes.

You should always drive with the windows closed, and if you can, use a pollen filter on the air conditioning. This will avoid any discomfort during the journey.

Follow these tips and enjoy this wonderful time of the year!