How to stop sneezing: myths and truths about allergies

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

"Be healthy!" - this phrase is usually heard by someone who happens to sneeze loudly in front of witnesses. True, in most cases, a sneezing person is desired health, mechanically moving away so as not to get infected, and no one thinks why a person looks sick - because of a virus that anyone can pick up, or because of an allergy that cannot be infected.

What else is the difference between infectious and allergic rhinitis, how to help an allergic person and what is hay fever? The most important thing about allergies was told by the doctor - allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok.

123 RF / Helmut Seisenberger

Another reaction: what is an allergy and who can get sick?

The word "allergy" comes from the ancient Greek language and means "I react differently", which fully explains the essence of this disease - the hypersensitivity of the immune system to completely ordinary stimuli. The occurrence of an allergy automatically means an immune disorder, because a completely healthy body successfully copes with any external influences. Obviously, it is impossible to become infected with allergies, and it is not the disease itself that is transmitted by inheritance, contrary to popular belief, but only a predisposition to it. It is believed that you can become allergic with a probability of 40% if at least one of the parents has this disease, and if both mother and father suffer from allergies, the probability of staying healthy for you is reduced to 10%.

123 RF / Andriy Popov

City or village: where sneezes are less likely

More than a third of the population of developed countries is susceptible to allergies, that is, every third inhabitant's body reacted abnormally to stimuli at least once. Every fifth person in Europe, North America, Australia, countries of far and near abroad suffers from allergic rhinitis, every tenth - bronchial asthma, including seasonal asthma caused by a reaction to pollen, and mortality rates for these diseases are growing.

The development of allergies in the inhabitants of megalopolises is provoked by chemical air pollutants, especially exhaust gases, coke and petrochemical emissions. In rural areas, allergies can be easier if there are not many flowering grasses and trees where you are.

Rhinitis palette: the difference between allergies and colds

In a patient with an infectious rhinitis, the temperature rises, the condition worsens gradually, but the allergic person becomes ill immediately after contact with one of the irritants. There is no fever, but the patient often sneezes, his nose is stuffy and itchy, and his eyes are itchy and watery. Often people do not even think about the fact that they may be allergic, and write off their poor health on heavy loads and low immunity, although the infectious disease does not last for weeks.

It doesn't sound very pleasant, but the easiest way to distinguish an allergic rhinitis from an infectious one is to look at the color of nasal discharge: with a cold, they are yellow-green, and with a hay fever, transparent.

Pollinosis is an abnormal reaction of the immune system to plant pollen, a common allergic condition popularly known as hay fever.

Pirk test: how to understand what you are allergic to

If you suspect you have an allergy, modern medicine can easily help with an accurate diagnosis. Pollinosis, an allergy to pollen, can be detected in the classical way using the Pirquet reaction: the doctor conducts a "pirk test", giving the patient an injection with a small amount of the allergen. Skin tests are not performed during the flowering period, so those who want to test themselves for hay fever are advised to carry out the Pirquet reaction in advance.

123 RF / Jovan Mandic

Another diagnostic method is a rhinocytogram, a nasal swab: 12 hours before the test, no nasal means can be used, and, as a rule, the patient receives the answer within 24 hours. In laboratory conditions, you can also determine the nature of a runny nose by blood: the analysis will help to identify not only the very presence of an allergy, but also its nature, and you can go through it at any time of the year.

Treatment cannot be postponed: how to make your life easier

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely cure allergies, but modern medicine has a huge arsenal of tools to combat different types of this disease, and timely preventive measures help to cope with symptoms. Allergy sufferers do not need to change their usual course of life for the sake of illness, especially for those who suffer from hay fever: in order to receive medical care, you can go to a private clinic or to a public medical institution.

Medicine has gone so far that it is not even necessary to write a prescription - you can freely buy a spray at any pharmacy that helps to cope with the six symptoms of allergic rhinitis for 24 hours. The topical agent is suitable for adults and children from 4 years of age.

Curtains, dressing, cleaning: simple ways to protect against allergens

To make life easier for allergy sufferers, not only treatment will help, but also simple individual protection, especially relevant for hay fever.

During the flowering period, it is worth starting to wear a medical bandage and large sunglasses outside, which will prevent the penetration of pollen into the nose and eyes.

When hay fever is at its worst, wear long sleeves and wash whatever you wear outside every day. Coming home, rinse your nose and eyes, take a shower, use wet wipes if you cannot wash your face during the day - this will reduce the likelihood of contact with allergens.

Also, daily wet cleaning and air purification in the apartment with an electrostatic or water filter, ionizer and other devices helps to alleviate the symptoms of allergies.