Respiratory allergies: symptoms and treatment
Respiratory allergies, like food allergies and, in general any type of allergy, are the hypersensitive result of the immune system to an allergen that comes into contact with the body through the air breathed in
The allergens that trigger this response generally are pollens, dust, spores, mites, and pet epidermal derivatives (e.g., hair).
Depending on the type of allergen, clinical manifestations are classified into seasonal and perennial, whereby:
- Intermittent, i.e., seasonal are allergies to pollen and spores, which may occur several times during the year depending on the cyclic pollen production of plants and last less than four days or in any case less than four weeks.
- Allergies to dust mites and pet derivatives are perennial when they last for more than four days per week or otherwise more than four weeks.
Types of respiratory allergies
In Europe and worldwide, respiratory allergies are the most common form.
- Allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis, also called “hay fever,” is characterized by frequent sneezing and itching at the level of the nose (hence, the gesture of rubbing the nose with the hand is typical in children with allergic rhinitis). It can occur at particular times of the year due to pollen or persist all year round if the trigger is dust mites or a pet.
- Allergic conjunctivitis. Allergic conjunctivitis frequently accompanies allergic rhinitis and as main signs and symptoms involves redness in the eyes, severe itching and tearing.
- Allergic bronchial asthma. Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchi that in individuals allergic to pollen, mold and dust mites manifests with difficulty breathing and wheezing in the presence of the allergen to which one is sensitive.
Like allergic rhinitis, allergic bronchial asthma can be seasonal or perennial.
Causes of respiratory allergies and risk factors
The main cause that triggers a respiratory allergy is the allergy sufferer’s exposure to the allergen, whether it is a certain type of pollen in the case of pollen allergies or mites or animal dander.
Being in pollen-rich environments or lowered immune defenses contribute to the development of allergies even in individuals who are not predisposed.
Allergy, moreover, can appear at any age also influenced by a certain degree of familial and genetic predisposition.
In fact, it is estimated that individuals with one or both parents who are allergic have a 30% and 60-80% risk, respectively, of developing an allergy later in life, compared with a 10-15% chance of risk in an individual with nonallergic parents.
The causes of respiratory allergies certainly include climate change and rising temperatures, which result in more prolonged pollinations of allergenic species and subsequent pollen migration.
Smoking and air pollution would also promote allergic rhinitis, so much so that the percentage of allergy sufferers would be higher near high-traffic routes than in rural areas, as well as certain types of housing that when they do not allow satisfactory air exchange in apartments promote the proliferation of dust mite mold.
Signs and symptoms of respiratory allergies
In case of respiratory allergy, the main symptoms are:
– rhinorrhea (cold, “dripping” nose)
– sneezing
– itching
– nasal obstruction
– inflammation of the mucous membranes
– itching and tearing of the eyes
– continuous coughing
However, heavier symptoms, such as severe respiratory distress, may also occur, and in rare cases, although in most individuals allergies do not result in serious consequences, the reaction may be such that anaphylactic shock is induced.
What to do in case of respiratory allergies
In the presence of symptomatology that may lead one to suspect a respiratory allergy, it is necessary to contact one’s physician or allergist for a correct diagnosis and identification of the allergen or allergens to which one is sensitized.
If the result is positive, the physician can establish a program for preventive or therapeutic purposes to be implemented, for example, before the pollen season begins.
Diagnosis of respiratory allergy
A medical history of the patient and his or her family is the first step to a diagnosis if a respiratory allergy is suspected.
Also useful is an analysis of the patient’s habits and lifestyles, as well as the environmental situation to which the patient is exposed.
True allergy diagnostics makes use of several tests including objective skin and serological findings.
The so-called “prick-test,” a skin test that is performed by “scratching” or injecting extracts of various types of allergens into a patch of skin on the forearm, which will respond visually with a reaction similar to the pompho of a mosquito bite at the puncture site.
A more accurate search can be performed by detecting specific IgE in serum with a simple blood test.
How to prevent and how to treat respiratory allergies
The best way to prevent a respiratory allergy is to avoid contact with the allergen as much as possible.
Of course, this is easy in some cases and more complicated in others: in the case of a pollen allergy, in fact, the solution would be to stay indoors without opening doors and windows for the duration of pollen migration!
In cases of overt allergy, some over-the-counter medications (decongestants, antihistamines, and nasal corticosteroids) can help mitigate symptoms.
In more severe allergies, when symptoms persist for long periods of time, immunotherapy with injections of diluted allergen at increasing concentrations causes the body to adjust and gradually reduce the immune response that triggers the allergy.
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