How to Survive Seasonal Allergies (And Why You Shouldn’t Ditch Your Mask)

The words allergy and joy share an important similarity: aside from the fact that they are spelled practically the same way, they both have in common the fact that they can appear suddenly, anywhere, at any time, can – even be where you least expect it. The big difference is that one is deeply unpleasant and the other is not.

I remember when I was in my twenties, and after a few days of severe tonsillitis, they injected me with penicillin. This was not an unusual procedure in my life, but this time it was different. Within minutes, my face turned red as a lychee tomato and my throat tightened as if held by an invisible fist. I ended up in the hospital where, after preventing me from dying, the doctor informed me that from that day on I was allergic to penicillin.

“Allergies can appear at any age and at any time of life,” explains immunologist Pablo Raby in these pages. It’s Russian roulette: we don’t always know why some people develop certain allergies when they didn’t have any before. The same thing happens the other way around: some childhood allergic reactions then disappear in adulthood.

Either way, spring begins both the season of joy—with warm weather, longer days, and more outdoor activities—and of allergies, with hundreds of thousands of people sneezing, coughing, scratching or watering because of the wonderful trees and their magnificent trees. flowers.

The Most Common Triggers for Seasonal Allergies, According to a Report Mutual security are tree species such as the oriental plane tree, poplar, aromatic tree and walnut, in addition to grasses and weeds that also reproduce strongly on these dates.

How to deal with the sudden onset of an allergy during these months? How to detect it quickly? Is it possible that the mask, which we wanted to remove forever, is an unlikely ally?

But let’s start at the beginning. What is an allergic reaction? “It is when immunoglobulin type E, an antibody produced by our immune system, recognizes an allergen – which can be a plant, animal or chemical species – as a threat, triggering a protective mechanism,” explains Sofía Matamala, head of nursing Exam .

“If it is a respiratory allergy, a person may experience itchy eyes, nose and roof of the mouth, as well as sneezing or runny nose. It is advisable to seek professional advice on what type of treatment to apply, given that each immune system is different,” he adds.

The immunologist from the Clínica Universidad de los Andes, María Pía Zañartu, explains it as an exaggerated response of our immune system to an external agent. “Between 20 and 30% of Chileans suffer from respiratory allergies (allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma),” he writes in What is going on.

“In Chile, at the end of August, tree pollination begins, which lasts until the beginning of October, particularly marked in Santiago by the oriental plane tree, a species with a high concentration in the city. Then comes the pollination of grasses, from October to December, and finally the pollination of weeds, which lasts until February,” he explains.

A person sensitive to these three types of pollen can easily experience symptoms throughout this semester. While others are having fun at the beach, pool or in the countryside, she should worry about having allergy medications, antihistamines and disposable tissues on hand.

An effective way to reduce the symptoms of an allergy is to do a preventive skin test, in order to specifically identify the “enemy” and avoid serious inflammatory reactions and possible secondary respiratory infections.

María Antonia Guzmán Meléndez, head of the Immunology and Allergy Department at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital, says it is a genetic problem: “children of allergic patients are more likely to suffer from allergies. These occur in about 25% of the general population, but if both parents are allergic the percentage can reach 70%. »

But children of allergy sufferers are not completely doomed. Guzmán says that vaginal delivery, breastfeeding and avoiding antibiotics in the first years of life help prevent its development, because these three elements strengthen the capacity of the immune system for life.

Teresa Peralta, an immunologist at the UC CHRISTUS Health Network Allergy Center, adds that people who have a personal history of other types of allergies also have a greater predisposition to seasonal allergies.

And even if it is not always possible to avoid allergies, “the use of masks during the pandemic, by making it difficult for different particles to enter the respiratory tract, has contributed to less exposure to pollen” . Its wearing “can therefore be useful in patients allergic to seasonal pollens, such as those of plantain and mainly those of grasses”.

In other words, when we had already said goodbye to masks forever, they publish another letter to remain useful and current. For this to work, of course, it must be worn correctly: not just covering the chin or hanging like a bow tie, but covering the nose and mouth, as we learned during those traumatic years.

If you suffer from strong allergic reactions, which greatly affect breathing and quality of life, there are steps you can take to prevent them.

• “Avoid leaving the house on sunny, windy days,” says Peralta. Too bad, but the beautiful spring days are the most intense in terms of particles. If you go out, wear a mask and sunglasses to prevent pollen from coming into contact with our mucous membranes.
• “You should avoid opening the windows of the house,” he adds, “especially during times of highest pollen load, that is to say between 7 and 10 a.m. and between 5 and 10 p.m. evening”. When do we ventilate then? It is best to do this at midday and for short periods of time, otherwise many allergenic materials can enter the house.
• “Dry clothes at midday,” says Matamala. In the afternoon, the concentration of pollen is higher and it can soak into clothing or sheets which will then be in direct contact with the skin. Peralta is more radical and believes that it should not be hung outside.
• If you play sports or exercise outdoors, do so with glasses. All the specialists interviewed agree on this point.
• “Avoid situations that may cause allergies, such as cutting the grass,” advises Matamala. The same can be said for lying on it in a park or square, pruning trees or sweeping the sidewalk. And if there is no way to avoid it, wear a mask and glasses.

But the problem doesn’t just come from the trees. “Allergies to animal hair, especially from cats or dogs, can get worse at this time and intensify,” says Marlene Rubio, a dermatologist at Medismart.live . As it is a change of season, many animals also change their coats, shedding more hair than in other months.

In addition, pets, especially dogs, can also carry allergenic particles: after a walk in the square or in the park, they will surely bring elements in their hair or paws that can later affect people. allergic.

Veterinarian Cristian Boccher recommends in this regard to “clean their paws with shampoo or water after one of these outings, and to maintain constant grooming of our animals”.

“Patients allergic to species that pollinate in spring and summer usually repeat the pattern of symptoms year after year, or even worsen it over time,” explains Elianny Sánchez, general practitioner at Medismart. In these more serious cases, it is recommended to consult a specialist “and thus prescribe pharmacological treatment to control the symptoms and also consider the possibility of immunotherapy”.

The main objective, he adds, is to reduce discomfort and indiscriminate consumption of medications, in addition to preventing the onset of bronchial asthma in patients with rhinitis.

Now, in emergency situations, or when the allergy is very bothersome but you don’t have time to go to the doctor soon, there are remedies that help relieve it. “For classic allergies due to aeroallergens, second generation antihistamines are recommended, such as loratadine and desloratadine. The most important thing is to take them before symptoms appear,” recommends María Antonia Guzmán.

“The idea, of course, is that it is always a doctor who prescribes them,” underlines Matamala. “The newer, second-generation antihistamines are the most appropriate, particularly because they are not associated with drowsiness (like chlorphenamine). These antihistamines, in addition to acting against the effects of histamine, a substance produced by the body during allergic reactions, can inhibit other mediators of allergies, which reinforces their effect,” he emphasizes.

Although many of these medications can be purchased without a prescription at a pharmacy, it is always best to have them prescribed by a specialist. This avoids inappropriate consumption, which is counterproductive for symptoms, and promotes a happier spring than allergies.