Respiratory allergy – rhinitis, hay fever, asthma
Respiratory allergy is the immune system's overreaction to allergenic substances that enter the airways. An allergen is a substance that provokes an excessive immune response in individuals prone to allergies.
Forms of respiratory allergy:
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
Symptoms: runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itching, watery eyes, eye itching, eyelid swelling, dry cough.
It can be seasonal (occurring only during a certain time of the year; most often caused by sensitivity to pollens). It can also be perennial, most commonly caused by indoor allergens such as house dust, dust mites, molds, or pet dander. - Asthma
Symptoms: cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest tightness.
Triggers are most often pollen, animal dander, dust mites, mold, or air pollution.
You can read more about asthma in this article: Asthma – medically called asthma bronchiale
Causes of respiratory allergy
- Pollens: pollens of trees, grasses, and weeds. They cause seasonal symptoms.
- Animal dander: hair/skin flakes from cats, dogs, and other pets.
- Dust mites: microscopic organisms and their droppings (!), which live in beds, pillows, and carpets.
- Molds: found in damp environments such as bathrooms and basements.
- Air pollution: smoke, exhaust fumes, chemical substances (can also be an occupational hazard).
Treatment options:
- Avoidance of allergens: avoiding contact with allergens as much as possible.
- Medications: antihistamines, nasal sprays, corticosteroids, asthma medications.
- Immunotherapy: desensitization treatment that reduces allergic reactions in the long term.
The aim of treating respiratory allergies is to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. Allergists can help establish the correct diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan.
Pollen allergy calendar – almost all year round
Many allergy sufferers "know in advance" when their symptoms will start: when the plant to whose pollen they are sensitive begins to bloom, its pollen is released into the air and carried by the wind.
Each plant has its own flowering and pollen-release period, which usually lasts one to two months. That means the unpleasant period — and the associated allergy — ends after that plant's season.
Except for the winter months, there is practically always "something in the air." Some forty different grasses and trees can make life difficult for allergy sufferers.
Weather significantly affects the concentration of airborne pollen: the values are much higher in dry, warm weather and much lower on cool, rainy days.
What is allergy?
Allergy is the immune system's overreaction to certain substances (allergens). Contact with the allergen is required to trigger the allergic process; that is, you will have symptoms when the allergen contacts your skin, the mucous membranes of your eyes, nose, or throat, or when you inhale it with the air.
Your immune system responds with an overly active defense for some reason, releasing large amounts of inflammatory mediators such as histamine. The result is inflammation in the upper airways.
Medical treatment of respiratory allergy
If you see a doctor, you will receive symptomatic treatment. Medications in tablet or spray form (mostly antihistamines and steroids) suppress or at least reduce the symptoms.
They do not remove the allergens; instead, they "suppress" the immune system's response to the trigger. They do not "teach" the body how to properly handle the allergens. If you stop taking these medications, the symptoms will flare up again.
Prevention of respiratory allergy
Try to come into contact with the allergen as little as possible! For example, if you are allergic to cat dander, do not keep a cat and avoid spending long periods at a friend’s house that has a cat.
Because allergens are carried by the wind worldwide, it is very difficult to "hide" from them.
However, there is a natural method that may help avoid symptoms: salt air therapy, which I wrote about in detail in this article: Salt therapy: solving respiratory problems
If you've been to the seaside, you may have experienced that your at-home "raging" hay fever or asthma suddenly "went away" at the coast. This happens unnoticed: within 2–3 days your symptoms may significantly lessen or disappear, even though you did nothing but breathe the salty sea air.
The beneficial effect of salty air has been known for millennia. In the past such treatment was available only in salt caves or at the seaside; in recent decades salt rooms built for therapeutic purposes have been used.
Since few people can spend the entire allergy season at the seaside or at a hotel near a salt cave, technology must be used!
The ultrasond salt nebulizer devices were developed specifically for home salt therapy. In the comfort of your home you can produce salty air and stay in it as long as necessary to reduce your symptoms.
Watch my film about the application of salt therapy. Click the play button.
