We associate allergy primarily with a seasonal runny nose and watery eyes. People who do not experience these inconveniences are usually convinced that the topic does not concern them. Meanwhile, allergies can have much less “suspicious” symptoms. And failure to intervene can have serious consequences.
- Even a person who is convinced that he or she is not allergic may have some kind of hypersensitivity
- Contrary to popular belief, allergies do not only affect children. Hypersensitivity can occur at any stage of life
- If left untreated, the allergy can get worse. This means that, for example, hypersensitivity to birch may extend to fruit and vegetables, significantly reducing the allergy’s diet.
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Agnieszka Mazur-Puchała, Medonet: Maybe I’ll start with the fact that I am a layman when it comes to allergies. Of course, I hear about them all the time, but I don’t have any myself. Or at least I think so. I do not have a seasonal runny nose, my eyes do not water. Could it be that I have an allergy, but I don’t know about it?
Dr Emilia Majsiak, specialist in molecular diagnostics of allergies: Yes this is possible. You may be allergic without symptoms or have subtle symptoms that do not raise suspicion of an allergy. Seasonal runny nose or watery eyes are not the only symptoms of allergies. They can also be abdominal pain or bloating from certain foods. You may associate it with overeating or blame our food that it contains a lot of preservatives, but this discomfort may be due to food intolerance. Other symptoms of allergy may also include skin changes or headaches. Repeatability is most important here – if a reaction occurs systematically, under specific circumstances, after specific foods, then it may be a sign of hypersensitivity.
Does that also apply to pollen allergies? Is it only digestive?
This applies to all types of allergies, except that in the case of inhalation allergy we are dealing not with the foods we eat and with which we can possibly give up, but with pollen that is in the air and it is difficult for us to avoid them. In the case of IgE-dependent allergy, in contact with food or inhalation allergen, E antibodies are produced in the blood. These are antibodies that are supposed to protect us against bacteria, viruses or fungi, but for some reason they recognize the allergen as a harmful factor. And they start to fight him.
A healthy person does not react to, for example, birch pollen. However, if we are allergic to it, the immune system recognizes pollen as an enemy. Then the whole cascade of events in the body begins, which leads to the release of histamine, which causes the eyes to itch, the nose to run, skin changes and abdominal pain appear. Theoretically, everything can be an allergen for us – food, pollen, animals, latex, but also dyes and fabrics.
And if at this stage of my life I have not yet developed any allergies, can I assume that I will not become an allergy anymore?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. It used to be thought that allergies most often affect children – because they are usually diagnosed with them. But it’s because mums rise to the occasion and go out of their way to diagnose when symptoms appear. In the case of adults, we are not very keen on research. If the nose is blocked, the condition is not serious enough to force us to see a doctor and have our health checked. We usually underestimate such symptoms until they are bothersome enough to be dealt with. Allergy can occur at any stage of life. It can also appear in older people, e.g. after 65 years of age.
What happens when we downplay the symptoms of allergies? Can we somehow harm ourselves in this way?
Allergy symptoms can build up and lead to new allergies. In allergies to birch, grass and mites, it has been proven that if we do not intervene at an early enough stage, the so-called molecular spread. Hence, we know that at the beginning you are only allergic to individual proteins of a given allergen. For example, in an allergy to timothy grass, the sensitization process begins with the production of antibodies to the main first molecule of timothy (Phl p 1). This is even a few years before symptoms appear. After a few years, symptoms appear and an allergy to other timothy molecules – Phl p 4 and Phl p 5 – If this process is not inhibited, an allergy to other timothy proteins – Phl p 7 and Phl p 12 is added. a protein belonging to a group of proteins called profilins, which are commonly found in fruits and vegetables. And in this way, hypersensitivity to timothy can lead to a state in which we start to react with hypersensitivity to fruits and vegetables, which can significantly limit our diet. And the lack of treatment may contribute to the occurrence of bronchial asthma – such a situation is better prevented, because asthma is a disease that will be with us for the rest of our lives.
And it is irreversible? If we miss this moment, we may never eat e.g. a tomato again?
The scenarios of this sensitization may vary, but the therapy is most effective if it is introduced at the stage of sensitization to molecule 1 and / or 5. The more molecules enter, the less effective the immunotherapy may be. Therefore, if we see symptoms of allergy, we should not delay the decision to visit an allergist. The sooner we diagnose our allergy, the more effective the therapy will be, as well as prevent the development of other health and life-threatening diseases.
What should be such a clear signal that we may be allergic to pollen and need to get tested?
If we see that in the following years in the same period we have a stuffy nose, runny nose, cough, breathing difficulties or skin lesions, it tells us that we may have allergies. When this situation repeats itself in January in subsequent years, we have a high probability of inhalation allergy to hazel, in March / April / May – allergy to birch, and from May to September – allergy to grass. In such a situation, you need to consult a doctor and do allergy tests.
Which plants most often sensitize Poles?
In Poland, they most often sensitize pollen of grasses, weeds and trees. Among the grasses, timothy, meadow grass, cocksfoot, meadow fescue and rye may be sensitizing, which also belong to the grasses. Among weeds, the most common allergy is mugwort and plantain, and among trees – birch, hazel, ash, willow and oak. These pollen can cause allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (allergic rhinitis).
It is estimated that even about 20 percent. children have symptoms of AR. Therefore, the problem is not small. If we add other common allergens, such as dust mites or molds, the number of people suffering from allergies grows larger and larger. It is estimated that in the near future even half of us will struggle with the problem of allergies.
Also read:
- Anaphylactic Shock – Everything You Need to Know [EXPLAINED]
- A runny nose is increasingly one of the first symptoms of COVID-19
- A runny nose is not only a symptom of an infection. What disease can it be confused with?
- Where do the dark circles under the eyes come from?
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.