Between eight and twelve million Germans suffer from hay fever, they have to suffer every year again from a runny nose and itchy eyes. Every sixth allergy sufferer is troubled by the sun. In each case 13 per cent suffer from a food allergy or an allergy to house dust mites. About a mold allergy complain 4 percent.
Number of allergy sufferers on the rise
More and more and younger people have to fight with allergies, very high is also the estimated number of undetected allergies. The reasons for the increasing number of allergy sufferers is not exactly known.
Responsible are made among other things:
- A changed lifestyle
- Environmental pollution
- Poor diet
Allergic rhinitis – what is behind it?
Allergic rhinitis is divided roughly into two groups: There is the allergic rhinitis triggered by trees, grasses or herbs at pollen season (hay fever) and the allergic rhinitis caused by other substances, which can occur throughout the year.
The main triggers of hay fever are three groups of pollen:
- Early flowering trees between February and May.
- Grasses and cereals between May and July
- Certain herbs in early autumn
The most common form is allergy to grass pollen. Three-quarters of all hay fever patients are allergic to grass or tree pollen. More than half of all hay fever pollen native to us belong to a group of about a dozen plants. So it pays to find out what you’re allergic to.
What to do about hay fever?
The first measure for hay fever is allergen abstinence. However, contact can usually not be avoided completely. In any case, it is important to see the doctor in time to initiate the right therapy. Medications significantly alleviate the symptoms and, if taken consistently, interrupt the inflammatory process that occurs with hay fever. If the symptoms are only mild, the doctor can prescribe preventive therapy with cromoglicic acid.
Another possibility is the so-called desensitization, a specific immunotherapy for hay fever. Smallest amounts of the triggering allergen are repeatedly injected under the skin in increasing doses. The success rate for pollen allergy sufferers is about 90 percent. The prerequisite is that the triggering allergens are known.
Hay fever should be taken seriously in any case, as the allergy may extend to the lower respiratory tract and cause asthma there.
Allergic rhinitis around the year
In addition to pollen, many other substances can trigger allergic rhinitis. The most common triggers are:
- Animal dander
- House dust (or rather the excretions of the house dust mite).
- Molds
- Food
- Medication
The symptoms triggered by these substances are largely the same as those of hay fever triggered by pollen. The allergy to animal dander usually manifests itself very violently. This allergy is particularly often triggered by cat, dog, horse or rodents.
The house dust mite lives in every household – even with great hygiene and cleanliness. It is mainly found in beds, upholstered furniture or carpets. Typical for this allergy is the appearance after waking up or after a nap. Molds are also found everywhere in our environment – not only in spoiled food, but also in plant soil or in damp walls or basements.
Measures for allergies
The following measures should be observed by allergy sufferers in order to avoid contact with the respective allergens as far as possible:
- An animal hair allergy sufferer should not keep pets.
- Food allergy sufferers must avoid the relevant foods.
- If allergic to mold, the apartment should be examined for possible sources and remediated if necessary.
- In the case of house dust allergy also helps to sanitize the apartment. No carpets, little upholstery, special mattresses and covers.
