As the flowers start to bloom your nose will stream! But you can enjoy an allergy-free spring.

 

Achoo! If there's one sound that signifies spring has sprung, it's a sneeze. Hay fever causes about one in five of us to sneeze, wheeze and have itchy eyes. And the symptoms can have a significant impact on quality of life, mood and work performance. So here's how to allergy proof your day.

What's an allergy?

The immune system is designed to protect the body from threats. But in allergic reactions it reacts to otherwise harmless substances called allergens that are found in our environment. They include pollen, dust mites, mould and certain foods.

After the body comes into contact with these allergens, the immune system makes antibodies to kill them. These antibodies stimulate mast cells to unleash powerful chemicals such as histamine. It's the combination of these cells and a host of attacking chemicals that triggers the runny nose and itchy eyes of hay fever, the wheeze and shortness of breath of asthma, and the overpowering itch of hives.

Seasonal allergies start when the grasses and pollens get blown around in spring. In New Zealand, this continues through the summer months and begins to slow down only in autumn.

Perennial allergies occur when allergens such as house dust mites and mould are a problem all year round.

The symptoms

Ask a chronic hay fever sufferer how they feel and most will tell you, ‘Miserable!' Apart from the constant sneezing, runny nose, itchy skin and eye irritations, allergies can cause tiredness, disrupted sleep, an irritable mood, and difficulties with concentration and maintaining focus. Understandably, a sufferer's quality of life is significantly compromised.

Untreated hay fever can lead to blocked and painful sinuses and poor hearing, because the middle ear may fill up with mucus. It also increases the likelihood of sinus infection.

Test for triggers

To identify allergy triggers, it's important to see an allergy specialist for a test, because knowing and avoiding triggers is an important part of allergy and asthma management.

But be aware, some tests don't work. Cytotoxic food tests, pulse testing and hair analysis, to name a few, have no scientific validity and will have no bearing on the allergic condition.

Hit allergies on the nose

The benefits of hay fever medications in alleviating seasonal allergies caused by pollens and grasses are well known. Modern antihistamines rarely cause drowsiness. But before you buy one, talk to your pharmacist so the best medication can be chosen for you.

Corticosteroid nasal sprays are useful for reducing inflammation of the nasal lining - a symptom of hay fever. There are different strengths available over the counter. For stronger medications, see your doctor.

Saline sprays keep the membranes moist, dilute the allergen and allow some of the allergy-induced mucus to be swallowed.

Direct contact with allergens can worsen eczema. For example, contact with animal dander can cause itching and hives, as can sitting and playing on grass. Low-dose corticosteroid creams and gels are available at pharmacies without prescription and may help reduce skin inflammation and provide relief. However, in most severe cases, prescription- strength creams will be needed to reduce an eczema flare-up.

Decongestant nasal sprays do give temporary relief for blocked noses but side effects can include poor sleep, anxiety and raised blood pressure in some people. They may also make nasal symptoms worse with frequent use.

Immunotherapy, where your triggers are identified by a doctor and followed by a series of low-dose exposures to allergens over three to five years, also helps in many cases.

If symptoms persist, ask your doctor to refer you to an allergy specialist.

Food allergies

Twenty per cent of our children have some type of allergy. In addition to pollens, mould
and house dust, one in 20 may also be allergic to foods such as cow's milk, eggs and peanuts.

Reactions can range from hay fever-like congestion, asthma, colic and diarrhoea, to the potentially fatal anaphylaxis, where the respiratory or circulatory system collapses.

 

Cure on horizon

Peanut allergies may be stamped out in the future. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reports that studies suggest immunotherapy - feeding tiny doses
of peanuts in a controlled manner to those who are allergic - may help reverse the potentially fatal immune response. It's early days, and we're on the way, but don't try this at home. These trials are all done in hospitals for safety reasons.

 

Reduce your seasonal risk

• Don't dry clothing or bedding on an outside clothesline, where they can pick up pollen.
• Avoid being outside in the afternoon when the pollen count is the greatest.
• Don't wear contact lenses in the spring because they're pollen traps and may increase your irritated-eye symptoms.
• When outside, wear wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Use air conditioning if you have it at your workplace or your home, and keep the doors and windows closed.
• Wash your hair before bed to remove daytime pollen.
• If you're going on holiday, make sure you take with you an ample supply of the correct medications or prescriptions

Reduce your perennial risk

Follow the seasonal rules, and add these:

• Vacuum and dust often, or get someone less allergic to do it for you.
• Buy special anti-allergy mattress and pillow coverings to keep the dust mites out.
• When it's not the height of the allergy season, live as if you're in the Mediterranean, keeping your windows open to help reduce dampness.
• If you're allergic to your cat or dog, it's sad to say, but they need to be outside.
• Avoid cigarette smoke - it will only add to your breathing problems.
• Regularly put soft toys in plastic bags in the freezer to kill dust mites.
• Think about removing carpet and opting for tiles.
• Keep shoes at the front door to reduce pollen and grasses being spread through your home.

 

 

Are we too clean? 

Allergy diseases have almost doubled in the past 25 years, and no one's really sure why. Many experts think it's because as Western nations become cleaner, our bodies are deprived of the old evils of bugs, worms and parasites that our immune system used to attack and deal with.

Instead, our immune system has now lost the plot and jumps on harmless things, such as pollen, which causes the same inflammatory reaction that occurs when there's a real invader around.

 

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