What is hay fever?
Hay fever (pollinosis) is a form of allergic rhinitis, which is characterized by allergy to pollen (pollen) of plants, often grasses or trees. These include pollen that is spread through the wind. Plants that are pollinated by insects, have pollen that is too heavy to be dispersed by the wind. Hay fever is seasonal, in contrast to allergic disorders that persist through all the year, such as house dust mite allergy.
Hay fever definition
Hay fever is a reaction of the immune system. In people with hay fever immune response also to harmless substances such as pollen.
Hay fever occurs in 12% to 28% of all Dutch and Belgians, and some 10% of the Western population. Around 1900 hay fever was recognized. Hay fever has nothing to do with hay or fever, the name comes from the time when the symptoms occur: the hay season.
As with most allergies, hay fever is also usually slowly. Usually manifests allergy between the 8th and 25th year, after a first manifestation symptoms usually come back every year. The symptoms are less as they age, usually the symptoms after the age of 40 a lot less, and are "cured" after the 55th year. It is rare for hay fever occurs to anyone over 40 years old.
The complaints period running along with the flowering of trees and grasses, this can be from January to September. The symptoms are most severe when the pollen concentration is highest, usually on hot, windy days.
Hay fever is to control in most cases, with medications such as an antihistamine and / or by desensitization.
Cross allergy
Hay fever is often associated with food allergy. Is there a cross allergy, in which the pollen allergy is the cause of an allergy to a particular food, or vice versa.
Complaints
Hay fever sufferers have a hay fever attack suffer from one or more complaints:
- Frequent sneezing
- Painful and itchy nose
- Runny Nose
- Bloody nose
- Stuffy nose
- Red eyes with itching / burning sensation
- A Headache
- Tiredness and lethargy
- Watery eyes and swollen eyelids
- Tickle cough
- Swollen throat
- Asthma
- Eczema
- Itchy palate
- Veins of eyes can be broken
- Sensitivity to light
- There may arise some pus in the eyes
- Clogged ears (cavities)
Hay fever medication
Medication of hay fever is primarily aimed at reducing symptoms; in the form of immunotherapy is a preventative treatment as possible. There are four types of conventional treatments for hay fever: cromonen, antihistamines, corticosteroids and immunotherapy.
Cromonen, usually in the form of a nasal spray, inhibit the release of antibodies. Cromonen works gradually and should be used daily. They have no side effects. Examples include cromoglycate and nedocromil.
Antihistamines block the effects of histamine and have a faster effect than cromonen. An antihistamine suppresses allergic reactions by blocking histamine. An antihistamine for hay fever is available in the form of tablets, oral solution and drops. Examples acrivastine, cetirizine, clemastine, cyproheptadine, desloratadine, ebastine, fexofenadine, ketotifen, levocetirizine, loratadine and mizolastine. In addition, nasal sprays and eye drops can provide local relief. Examples are azelastine, emedastine, ketotifen, levocabastine and levocabastine. These substances can cause side effects.
Corticosteroids (steroids) are anti-inflammatory, reduce allergic symptoms and prevent swelling of the nasal mucosa. Corticosteroids may be used if prolonged discomfort of hay fever is encountered. Forms are nasal sprays or longpufjes. Examples are beclomethasone, budesonide, flunisolide, fluticasone, mometasone, and triamcinolone acetonide.
Immunotherapy (allergy vaccination or immunotherapy) is a treatment that not only fights the symptoms, but also addresses the underlying causes of hay fever. In this form of treatment a hayfever patient can be made insensitive to the pollen, where he / she is prone to. It does so by administering a small amount of allergens. Usually, this is still in a slightly increasing quantity, for three to five years. The body can then slowly get used to the allergen, and there after a period of time at less violently react. The treatment method can be obtained in the form of tablets and injections. Consultation with the doctor is necessary for immunotherapy. Examples of resources include: Oralgen, Grazax, SUBLIVAC Best, Novo Helisen, SlitOne and Staloral. These medications are available by prescription and can cause side effects.
Natural Treatment Treatment methods in the Phytotherapy and homeopathy are usually no regular medications but self-care products. Using methods from the pharmacognosy, the number of funds with a natural origin. There are several randomized, double-blind studies with positive results conducted in connection with hay fever. An extract (Ze339) of the butterbur (Petasites hybridus) appears as effective as antihistamines such as cetirizine. Other examples of natural remedies for hay fever is the homeopathic product Galphimia glauca and phytotherapeutic Pollenax that can also be used prophylactically. Natural resources have less or no side effects.