Allergy to plants

Allergic reaction to plants for a modern person has ceased to be a typically seasonal phenomenon. What was previously called autumn-spring pollinosis, can now make its debut in winter, and in any other period. Allergy to plants is a large group of various allergic inflammatory reactions, most often developing on mucous membranes and skin. The disease is characterized by relapses corresponding to the time of contact with a provoking allergen. The intensity of the symptomatology is related to the genetic factor, with the individual sensitivity of the organism and the presence of associated pathologies.

The history of plant allergy officially began in the beginning of the last century in France, when in 1914 in the southern town of the country almost the entire population simultaneously began to suffer from edema and skin dermatitis. Later, in the sixties of the 20th century, a similar phenomenon was observed in Russia, in the Kuban, after the first ragweed blossom, which was brought from the American states and was planted everywhere in villages and towns.

At present, an allergic reaction to the pollen of grass, trees and even indoor plants can manifest the body of every fifth inhabitant of the planet, although inexorable statistics show that there are more such people.

[1], [2]

Causes of allergy to plants

If it was previously thought that the causes of allergies to plants and to other reaction-provoking agents belong to the category of congenital, that is, genetic, other factors are now established:

• Hereditary factor. If one or both parents suffer from allergies, the risk of an allergic reaction in a child rises to 40-50%.
• Hereditary-acquired factor, to which constitutional anomalies can be attributed (atopic constitution as a risk of developing IgE sensibilization).
• Inclination to immediate reaction. GnT - immediate type hypersensitivity or exudative-catarrhal factor.
• Congenital or acquired addiction to auto-allergy (lymphatic-hypoplastic factor).
• Dysfunction of the immune system - a lowered level of T-suppressors.
• Inflammatory processes in the body, accompanied by a change in the permeability of hematological barriers.
• Endocrine pathologies, dysfunctions.

In general, the causes of plant allergies are the development of sensitization to plant allergens, of which today there are more than 700 species. A characteristic feature of the past decades has been a cross-allergic reaction, the trigger of which can be not only trees, grass and flowers, but also obligate food products, fruits and vegetables.

The main provoking factor, which is considered the root cause of pollinosis, is pollen. Pollen, in turn, is a specific cell that promotes the reproduction of plants. Cells contain a plant protein that has a complex structure, it is the protein compounds of pollen that cause a reaction from the side of immunity. Immunoglobulins IgE and IgG aggressively perceive only protein structures, triggering the release mechanism of bradykinin, histamine, serotonin and other biologically active elements. Allergy can be caused only by pollen cells of the male type, the main provoking plants are flowering trees, meadow grasses and cultivated cereals. Also aggressive in the allergic sense of the Compositae and Stony plants, weeds, including the infamous ambrosia.

The causes of allergy to plant components may be internal, that is, associated with the characteristics and state of the body, but they are also conditioned by external factors.

Factors affecting the intensity of an allergic reaction in hay fever:

• Ambient temperature.
• Humidity level of air.
• Wind speed and direction.
• The amount of pollen from the plant.
• Volatile properties of pollen, the ability to rapidly spread.
• The composition of pollen and the number of protein elements - polypeptides, glycoproteins.
• The size of the territory sown with allergenic grasses, the distribution range of flowering plants and trees.

The reasons for the allergy to room flowers may be identical to the etiological factors provoking a reaction to pollen plants, but often such manifestations are associated with another type of disease - pseudoallergia. If the domestic plant releases only ether compounds, but not pollen, therefore, it does not have a true protein antigen and can not cause aggression from IgE and IgG.

[3]

Plants that cause allergies

Today, the number of plants that cause allergies is approaching a thousand, without taking into account another thousand herbs, and plant allergens can occur literally anywhere in the world. The reaction to pollen is most pronounced during the flowering period, that is, in the spring and summer, but also the allergy to plants can appear and fall day, especially in the morning hours in sunny weather and a low level of humidity. For those who have not first encountered pollinosis, it is very important to know when and what plants are the ways to "dust". For allergy sufferers in many countries, special calendars are compiled, where the plants that cause allergies, the date of their flowering and the prospective area of pollen distribution are clearly defined.

Since in the frames of this article it is not possible to provide a detailed floral map, we list the most aggressive in allergic sense plants, trees and grasses:

• Coniferous trees - fir, spruce, cypress, pine. Previously, it was believed that coniferous trees are not capable of causing allergies, but recent studies prove the opposite, even in winter, a person can react to a New Year tree, whose cones and needles retain a small amount of pollen
• All fruit-berry trees blooming in the spring - apple, pear, cherry, cherry, apricot, quince, plum.
• Birch.
• Maple.
• Oak.
• Linden.
• Alder.
• Ash.
• Willow.
• Beech.
• Acacia.
• Sycamore.
• Hazel.
• Forage plants, herbs.
• Flowering meadow grasses - clover, alfalfa.
• Flowering weeds - ragweed, quinoa, plantain, nettle, wormwood.
• Cereals - rice, rye, wheat.

It should be noted that poplar, which many are accused of provoking allergies, in fact is not capable of activating the formation of antibodies in the body, the mechanism of reaction to poplar fluff is completely different. Pooh is a vehicle for the pollen of neighboring flowering plants, it tolerates allergens everywhere due to its lightness and high degree of volatility. Also, many flowers are not dangerous, the pollen of which is collected by insects, so it just does not manage to spread enough to cause an aggressive reaction from the immune system. More serious threat is represented by cereals and meadow plants, which according to statistics provoke more than 45 types of cross reactions.

Plants that cause a cross allergy:

Pollen of a plant, wood	Products that cross-react	Potential allergens	What is not recommended to use
Hazelnut, birch, alder	Birch sap, apples, nuts, cherries, plums all stone fruit trees	Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cucumbers	Kidneys and leaves of birch as phytotherapy, cones of alder, bark of buckthorn
Meadow Grasses	Yeast drinks (kvass and beer), cereals, bread products	Citrus, strawberry	Cereal cereals
Complex color weeds - ragweed and wormwood	Vegetable oils and seeds, wine on herbs (vermouths, aperitifs), spices - coriander, nutmeg, curry, anise, ginger, cinnamon	Garlic, citrus, carrot	Herbs for phytotherapy - wormwood, marigold, chamomile, mother and stepmother, tansy, string, dandelion

House plants that cause allergies

In addition to aesthetic pleasure, indoor plants help to improve indoor air quality, since they are able to absorb harmful substances and release phytoncides, oxygen, essential oils into the atmosphere of the room. Nevertheless, modern man is so impressed by autoimmune processes that even everyone loved violets can cause him allergies, intolerance.

Most often, this happens to those who already have a history of hay fever, since the flowers themselves can not produce polypeptides, and pollen in principle. These plants do not have the opportunity to be pollinated by wind or insects, they reproduce in another way initially. Symptoms that may indicate intolerance to decorative "pets" are as follows:

• Dry persistent cough.
• Allergic rhinitis with liquid, clear secretions.
• Redness and burning in the eyes.
• Tear.
• Itching itch.
• Puffiness.
• Rash.
• Shortness of breath or choking is very rare.

It should be noted that Quincke's edema, anaphylaxis does not occur as a clinical manifestation of the reaction to houseplants, if such a symptomatology is observed, then most likely it indicates a true allergy caused by a very different provoking factor.

Indoor plants that cause allergies:

• Decorative kutra plants - oleander, alamander, teveti, provoking allergies in the flowering period. In addition, the reaction can cause milky juice, which is contained in some types of plant cultivation.
• Family of euphorbia plants - croton, acalifa, euphobia, punchetia, the reaction provokes milky juice.
• Family kirkazonovyh - aristoklokhiya (kirkazon), saruma, hoof contain a large number of ethereal terpenoid compounds (camphor), provoking allergies.
• The family of fatties - redsula, Kalanchoe, echeveria, rochea sedum (cleansing).
• Dieffenbachia.
• Hydrangea.
• Philodendron.
• Monster.
• Family amaryllis.
• Philodendron.
• Ficus.
• Pelargonium (geranium).

The causes of allergic reactions to indoor plants are found in volatile ether compounds - aeroallergens or in the toxic contents of leaves and stems causing a contact allergy. Atopic reaction of the human body in almost 90% is associated with respiratory or skin contact with saponins or alkaloids contained in indoor flowers and ornamental plants.

Home plants that cause allergies

Sometimes home plants are able not only to please the owner with their blooming kind, but also create a lot of problems in connection with the allergic reaction to a specific smell.

Which home plants that cause allergies are known to date?

1. The most common "resident" houses, previously standing literally on each window sill, is geranium. Fragrant pelargonium deserves a lot of praise, as it is capable of bactericidal air purification, its leaves and odor can relieve the headache, the decoction of stems and flowers has a diuretic and anti-edematous effect. Nevertheless, like many home plants that cause allergies, geranium not only removes the headache, but sometimes provokes it, and even in combination with skin rashes and suffocation.
2. Family of ornamental ferns. Virtually all species of this category carry a potential threat of provocation of allergy. Ferns, this is perhaps one of the few domestic plants that can produce pollen, or rather, spores. It is the disputes spreading around the room, are aggressive allergens, contributing to the development of allergies - rhinosinusitis and tracheobronchitis.
3. Plants family kutrovyh, which take root not in every house due to its "capriciousness", and also not universal in the sense of reaction to them from the owners. The flowering period of oleander or alamande is marked by a huge amount of ethers released. This suffocating aroma is capable of provoking both headache and allergy, including.
4. All the euphorbia that during the breeding season, transplants are damaged and secrete poisonous juice. When it comes into contact with it, a local allergic reaction develops.
5. All revered "money tree" or redsula (pebble) despite its popularity carries the threat of a severe allergic reaction from the respiratory tract. Allergies, as a rule, are caused by all sorts of procedures from the category of "folk" recipes, when a person heals wounds with the juice of a colanchoe, or digs it in the nose as a remedy for a cold.

When transplanting and caring for indoor plants, it is not superfluous to study information about them and insure themselves with gloves or gauze bandages. After working with potentially harmful flowers, plants need to carefully handle the hands under running water, and with an allergy in the anamnesis, you may have to abandon these plants in principle in order to avoid serious attacks and swelling of Quincke.

Symptoms of allergies to plants

Allergy to plants is called pollen, although in recent years, seasonal allergies have evolved into a broader concept of reaction to plants in principle, which involves the interaction of the immune system, not only with trees and herbs that produce pollen, but also with decorative flora. The classic symptomatology of hay fever has always been seasonal and alternating exacerbations with periods of remission. The polysymptomatics of existing allergic reactions is not so specific, the list of clinical manifestations has expanded, the symptoms of plant allergy can now have a wide variety of options, often similar to the clinic of purely respiratory or dermatological diseases.

The list of the main signs of allergy to plants:

• Allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis.
• Increased lachrymation and hyperemia of the eyelids.
• Shortness of breath and symptoms of bronchospasm, up to choking.
• Swelling of the face.
• Superficial dry cough, paroxysmal sneezing.
• Rash, dermatitis.
• Classical manifestations of hives.

The most common symptoms of allergy to plants for allergy sufferers who already had experience of exacerbation and treatment from pollinosis. Often patients themselves notice the first signs, which can be such manifestations:

1. Rhinoconjunctival syndrome, when teargas, tears in the eyes and typical allergic rhinitis begin almost simultaneously. Noticeably reddening and puffiness of the eyelids, itching is felt in the nasal cavities, there are sneezing attacks, sensitivity to light and odor irritants. Symptomatics is aggravated at night and may persist for a long period even with adequate therapy.
2. Respiratory symptoms, often leading to bronchial asthma. An allergy begins with a perspiration in the throat, then a dry superficial cough develops, often very painful and not transient for a long time. Breathing noticeably difficult, developing attacks of suffocation, when the patient can not exhale.
3. Skin reactions, typical of 10-15% of allergic people suffering from pollinosis. These can be simple rashes, but also cases of exacerbations in the form of urticaria, atopic or contact dermatitis and even eczema are not uncommon. All types of skin symptoms are potentially dangerous. Hives, for example, often lead to the edema of Quincke, and eczema is considered a relapsing disease, difficult to treat. Relatively safe in terms of the effectiveness of treatment contact dermatitis, which develops in areas of skin that come into contact with a plant irritant. As soon as the provoking factor is eliminated (removed), the skin undergoes treatment, the symptoms of contact allergy quickly subsided.

Allergic to flowering plants

Fortunately, the allergy to flowering plants is very well studied today, almost all pollen allergens are classified and described. This achievement is very important for dealing with allergies in general, since the body of allergy sufferers according to statistics in 60% of cases sooner or later sensitizes to flowering trees and herbs even if the reaction was previously a food product or other provoking factor. It is believed that almost all pollen-producing plants are capable of inducing an aggressive response of the immune system, but only 50 plant species are most active. This category includes all wind-polluted representatives of the flora, it is their pollen that can fly over long distances and accumulate in the environment in high concentrations. Also, the size of the pollen molecule is important, for example, coniferous trees produce much more pollen, but its molecular structure does not allow active interaction with the human body, the large diameter of the molecule (up to 100 micrometers) is delayed by the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, causing only a local reaction. At the same time, birch pollen, which is less abundant in quantity than fir or pine, is considered to be the most aggressive, provocative in the allergic sense, it is able to overcome cells of the mucous tissue, penetrate the bronchus shell, activating the response of IgE globulins and the process of sensitization.

The most common allergy to flowering plants is manifested during the production of pollen, that is, in spring and summer. Especially dangerous are shrubs, weeds and meadow grasses, since their number significantly exceeds the number of wind-blown trees. Among the grasses, ragweed, wormwood and timothy are leading, especially in dry and warm regions with a low level of humidity. Among the trees the palm tree is held by a family of birch trees - the birch itself and its "relative" - alder, followed by hazel (hazel), maple, ash, linden.

Flowering plants, more precisely their pollen, are the source of albumin-like proteins, peculiar complex compounds of protein elements with carbohydrates. Pollen of each plant species contains its own set of protein allergens, it is their variability and affects the variety of symptoms in hay fever. For example, birch pollen contains more than 40 protein compounds, of which 6 are the most aggressive. Allergists have established three most dangerous periods when the allergy to flowering plants is noted in the form of mass flares:

• Spring flowering plants - April-end of May.
• Spring-summer period - May - end of August.
• Summer-autumn flowering, mostly grass. This is the middle of August to the end of October.

It should be noted that the allergic reaction is able to cause not only pollen, but also other parts of plants - fruits, leaves, roots, seeds.

Allergy to pollen of plants

Pollen of flowering trees, plants and herbs is a strong allergen, since it has the following properties:

• Pollen contains protein compounds that can cause an aggressive response of the immune system and activate the sensitization process.
• Each plant contains several complexes of polypeptides, that is, the variability of the allergic reaction and its manifestations is acceptable.
• Pollen can be stored for a long time even after the end of the flowering period. Pollen elements can settle on clothing, objects, but most often remain on fruits, seeds, on leaves.
• If the plant belongs to the category of a wind-pollinated family, it produces a very large amount of pollen, and can spread over long distances.
• Pollen has high volatile properties, this is due to a natural factor, aimed at the multiplication and spread of plants.
• Allergy is caused only by the male elements of pollen.
• The most aggressive in the allergic sense is a young, fresh pollen, which has small molecular sizes (up to 35 μm).
• In a dry, hot climate, pollen spreads much faster than in an atmosphere with high humidity.

Allergy to pollen of plants appeared relatively recently, at least, its first scientific description refers to the beginning of the last century. Nevertheless, pollinosis is considered a well-studied pathology, which is now successfully handled by allergists, of course, provided timely treatment for medical qualified care.

[4], [5]

Allergies to houseplants

Indoor plants are not only interior decoration and natural air purifiers, but sometimes dangerous "neighbors" capable of causing an allergic reaction. Allergy to houseplants is not as common as true pollinosis, but it is a serious danger to those people who already have at least a single case of symptoms on the part of the immune system. In addition, careful with room colors should be and those who have a predisposition to allergies, including hereditary. It is believed that if the mother of the child was allergic, the risk of symptoms in offspring is close to 25-30%, if the allergic father, the probability of allergy development in heirs is close to 50%.

It is for this reason, some people should be responsible for choosing indoor plants. The most safe and neutral in the allergic sense are heath, balsam, begonia, golden mustache, all climbing plants, including Tradescantia.

Most often allergies are provoked by such flowers and ornamental plants:

• Geranium.
• Euharius.
• Ficus.
• The entire family of euphorbia because of the milky juice contained in them.
• Dieffenbachia.
• Oleander.
• Tolstyanka (red, colanchoe).
• Kirkazon.
• Cataract.
• Ferns.
• Philodendron.
• Orchids.
• Adenium.
• Madagascar palm (lamer).
• Monster.
• Spathiphyllum.
• Amaryllis (gemanthus).
• Poincetia.
• Rhododendron.
• Ivy ornamental.
• Decorative pepper (borrel).
• Cyclamen.
• Decorative magnolia.

Allergy to houseplants, of course, an unpleasant phenomenon, but the ratio of benefit and harm is likely to dictate the need to get rid of dangerous colors in order to avoid risk. To relieve the exacerbation and for years to treat the developing sensitization of the organism is much more problematic than to present a room "miracle" to someone who does not have any signs of an allergic reaction.

[6]

Allergies to house plants

The plant is the same living organism, as well as literally everything that is created by nature. The respiratory function of the plant world is the process of absorption and isolation of specific substances. It is this property of representatives of the flora that is the factor that contributes to the development of allergies to house flowers.

Allergic reaction to indoor plants is not a full, true allergy, with the exception of contact dermatitis. This is due to the lack of ability to pollination, which is inherent in plants that live in the "will", in natural conditions. Allergies to domesticated plants are rather a secondary disease that develops against the background of the already sensitized body. It is the ability to secrete ethereal compounds in the process of "breathing" and provokes an aggressive response from the respiratory system and the skin of a person.

Just like many essential oils can cause allergic symptoms, and ester-containing indoor flowers, especially during flowering, are provocateurs of unpleasant signs and symptoms in humans. In addition to plant esters, alkaloids, enzymes are isolated, their leaves and stems can contain a poisonous substance that irritates the skin elements. The only plant that can produce pollen at home is the fern, its mature pores scatter along the room along with dust and cause coughing, shortness of breath, and sometimes severe suffocation.

In addition, the cause of allergies to house plants is often not associated with them, the banal dust settling on the broad leaves, the toxic components of fertilizers that are introduced into the soil, all of which can be the main provocators of an allergic reaction.

How is the symptomatology of allergies to domestic flowers and plants manifested?

• Signs of an allergy from the respiratory system. Coryza, dry superficial cough, sneezing attacks.
• Puffiness of the eyelids, tearing, reddening of the eyes.
• Burning and pain in the eyes, the sensation of a foreign body, the desire to constantly rub your eyes.
• Headache.
• Impaired breathing, shortness of breath, suffocation.
• Rarely is pain and a sore throat.

It should be noted that those who suffer from hay fever, the symptoms of reaction to house flora will be identical to the signs of reaction to pollen of street plants. At "debutants", beginners in an allergy symptoms can be nonspecific. For example, a headache for a long time does not bind to a flowering orchid as a cause, a person believes that the head hurts due to overwork, weather and so on. At this time, sensitization of the body develops, the immune system "gets used" to the provoking factor and reacts to it more and more, until the "culprit" of the headache is finally identified. Therefore, with repeated signs under typical conditions, relapses of symptoms in certain circumstances should be the reason for going to the doctor for timely diagnosis.

Allergic to flowering plants

Every year, the number of plants and trees suffering from flowering increases at an alarming rate. Such a rapid dynamics is due to the deteriorating environmental situation and the reduction of immune protection in the general population.

Also among the reasons we can note the lack of awareness of people about allergies as a disease, including pollinosis (allergy to flowering plants). Allergy to flowering trees, bushes and grasses affects men and women, old people and children, regardless of social status and territory of residence. Previously, the greatest number of allergic people lived in cities, in the countryside, allergic reactions were extremely rare. Today, this account is equal, the villagers with the same frequency refer to a doctor with allergy symptoms, as well as residents of megacities.

Allergies to flowering plants are characterized by relapses and clear seasonal periods. Pollen rhinopathy, allergic catarrh, pollen bronchial asthma, hay fever are definitions of one nosological unit - pollinosis, this name is accepted throughout the medical world and it combines specific symptoms and atypical signs of an allergic reaction to carnivorous flora.

What triggers an allergy to plants? The reaction is caused by pollen, it is especially acute during the period of palinization - in spring and summer, when the nature is renewed, and the representatives of the flora tend to multiply and spread.

The most dangerous periods and plants that produce pollen at this time are:

• The beginning of April is the middle of May. Season flowering alder, birch, maple, oak, hazel, ash.
• The horses are in May, June, early July. Cereal grass, fodder grass bloom, weeds begin to blossom. Blooms dandelion, rye, corn, wheatgrass.
• July, August and September. Bloomers ambrosia (especially since mid-August), wormwood, quinoa, tansy.

The maximum concentration of various pollen in the atmosphere is observed from May to mid-July, the most dangerous are these natural phenomena in dry, hot areas with a low level of humidity.

[7]

Diagnosis of allergies to plants

Diagnosis, which helps determine the provoking factor, should be performed by a specialist, an allergist doctor. As a rule, the first stage, which involves the diagnosis of allergies to plants, involves a rather lengthy conversation. Collection of anamnesis, including hereditary - an important stage, helping to clarify the direction of further actions of the doctor. Then we need laboratory methods that specify the etiology of the allergic reaction and help to identify the exact allergen.

Modern allergology has many technologies for identifying provoking agents, but the most common method is skin and provocative samples, they are carried out in various ways - scarification, application, nasal and others. On the selected area of the skin (most often on the forearm), an alleged allergen can be applied, the body's response to it is an indicator of sensitization to this kind of antigen. In the nasal process, the antigen is administered to the nasal mucosa and the immune response is also evaluated. The only drawback of these methods is that during the period of exacerbation they are not carried out. If the acute period is stopped with antihistamines, the results of such tests and tests may also be incorrect, so this diagnosis is only shown a few weeks after the allergic reaction worsens or during the remission period. During the development of acute symptoms, the method of determining IgE, specific immunoglobulins in the patient's blood

In general, the diagnosis of allergies to plants includes the following stages:

• Collecting an allergic medical history, including hereditary.
• Outside the period of exacerbation, skin tests and provocative tests are performed.
• The immunological status is determined by laboratory tests of blood serum.

Let's consider in more detail each stage.

1. Anamnesis. The patient is interviewed according to the standard scheme, when the health status of the next of kin is determined, and the patient's state of health. It is important to clarify the presence or absence of concomitant pathologies, reactions to certain types of medication or vaccinations. Also relevant is the information of the most allergic, who probably notes some regularity in the manifestation of allergies and can often point to a specific provoking source.
2. If the allergy manifests itself as initial symptoms and, in a clinical sense, does not threaten to exacerbate, skin tests are performed using pollen antigen variants. Skin tests can be scalar, intradermal or application. The doctor determines the need for one or another method, based on the condition of the allergic person and his age. Most of the applications are shown for patients with skin reactions, especially when allergic to indoor plants and wild flowers. At the same time, samples for 10-15 allergens can be sampled. The intracutaneous method can be used only in case of unclear results obtained by scarification or application tests. Nasal or conjunctival tests are performed only during remission, beyond the flowering period of plants and trees.
3. Analysis of blood serum to detect the level of sensitization of the body can be carried out at any time, both during an exacerbation, and in remission. Unlike skin and provocative tests, it is safe, it allows to determine the aggressive response of the immune system to the allergen in the initial stage of the development of the process. Identified antibodies, depending on their class, help the doctor diagnose the form of allergy, choose the right diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.

[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]

Treatment of allergies to plants

The methods used in the treatment of plant allergies are well understood and are used universally as a specific standard set of actions. Obviously, this is due to the rather extensive knowledge of the mechanism of immune defense, constant scientific research and development, which are conducted by allergists all over the world. To date, the first stage, which includes myself in the treatment of allergies to plants, is elimination. Moreover, neutralization of the provoking factor is indicated for any kind of allergy, regardless of the variants and classification of the antigen. Effective and effective drugs that stop symptoms. Antihistamines of new (III, IV) generations have a long-lasting effect and do not cause sedation in the form of drowsiness and addiction. The drugs are designed in a convenient form - spray, nasal drops, aerosols, syrups, which allows them to be used in the treatment of allergies in children. It is extremely rare to prescribe glucocorticosteroids, it is possible in cases of severe exacerbations, with Quinck's swelling, anaphylactic shock when it comes to saving a patient's life.

It is also important for an allergy sufferer and a diet, since many pollen types are capable of provoking a cross allergy. The hypoallergenic menu of the valley becomes habitual for those who have a history of at least one case of anxiety symptoms, as well as those who have a genetic predisposition to allergies. A good result is the reception of various sorbents, which can serve as a preventive measure that provides platoon of obligate food products.

The last decades were marked by the emergence of a new technology of hyposensitization - ASIT (specific immunotherapy). If treatment with angiotigistamine drugs is ineffective, the course of ASIT can provide a long period of remission, which often lasts several years.

Treatment of pollen allergy

The first thing that is included in the treatment of pollinosis - allergies to plant pollen, is the neutralization of contact with a provoking factor. However, the developed reaction requires drug therapy. Currently, pharmacology provides a wide range of drugs-agonists TLR (toll-like receptors), helping to switch immunity to a less aggressive response, allergists have the ability to prescribe safe inhibitors of cytokines, constantly developed and implemented better methods of immunotherapy.

Treatment of allergy to pollen of plants includes the main actions:

• Elimination of the provoking factor.
• Pharmacotherapy.
• ASIT - allergen-specific immunotherapy.
• Training of an allergic person to prevent a possible reaction and to stop the symptoms that have already appeared on their own.

The first direction in therapy is maximum avoidance with plants, pollen-producing trees. This action is basic, and, not only in an acute period, but also during remission. Sometimes avoid "meeting" with the provocative agent, it is necessary during the whole life in order to avoid serious exacerbations and consequences. It happens that elimination does not give a visible result in reducing the severity of the symptoms, however, it is necessary, since it allows to reduce almost half the number of drugs and procedures.

Medicinal products are the second direction that helps to reduce the manifestation of an allergic reaction, to alleviate the patient's condition, to prolong the period of remission and, possibly, to ensure recovery. Preparations in hay fever are appointed depending on the clinical manifestations of allergies and can be as follows:

• Antihistamines of the IVth generation, which last longer than their predecessors, are safe for the central nervous and cardiovascular system. Drugs quickly remove puffiness, rash and itching, do not cause drowsiness and addiction.
• Glucocorticosteroids may be prescribed according to indications.
• Vasoconstrictors are usually in the nasal form (drops, solutions).
• Cromoglykates - preparations-stabilizers of precise cells.
• AHP - holinolitiki.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy is usually connected at an early stage of allergy development, as this reduces the risk of exacerbations and the progression of the whole process. Especially effective is the conduct of such therapy, if the diagnosis determines the exact allergen. Today, ASIT is considered to be one of the most universal and effective methods that provides etiopathogenetic treatment, that is, it affects the underlying cause, and not merely reduces symptoms. ASIT is used in a variety of ways, depending on the patient's age and the severity of his illness, it can be a subcutaneous injection of minidoses containing allergens, a sublingual, inhalation method and others are also used.

In general, the treatment of pollen allergy should include dynamic observation of symptoms, monitoring the state of the immune system and mandatory prevention, which plays an important role in the life of allergy sufferers.

Prevention of allergies to plants

Preventative measures to prevent the emergence of allergies and its relapse, primarily consist in limiting any contact with a provocative factor. Elimination is the only reliable way, if you do not completely avoid the reaction, then at least reduce the severity of the symptoms. Simple and effective ways, which includes the prevention of allergies to plants, are wet cleaning, airing the room at a time when there is no wind and regular water procedures after each exit from the house.

In addition, you should limit the time spent on walks, especially during the flowering period of plants and trees. You can walk in the evening, when the humidity of the air rises naturally and the risk of coming into contact with the pollen is minimized. Walking after the rain, in windless weather, is also useful. Dry, hot air, sun and wind - it's a "taboo" for allergy sufferers, it is on such days that the frequency of exacerbations of pollinosis increases. If a person is prone to allergies, he should always have a mini first-aid kit with the necessary antiallergic drugs. Sometimes simple relief is enough to stop the attack, but if the medicine is not available, there may be trouble. Antihistamines should be purchased in soluble, easily digestible form - nasal spray, inhaler, less often - injection form. In addition, the prevention of allergies to plants is awareness. You should know what trees, grasses, plants, shrubs grow in the area where you live, it will not be superfluous to get acquainted with the calendar of the palination, where the terms of pollination are indicated. If a person already had to "get to know" with an allergy, the reliable method to prevent the following attacks is the ASIT method - allergic-specific immunotherapy. This technique is considered one of the most effective and modern, the treatment is carried out before the start of flowering, usually from the end of autumn and the whole winter period.

Allergies to plants are a disease of civilization, at least so do doctors and biologists who study allergies as a mass disease. A century and a half ago, few knew about such a pathology, if there were manifestations of an allergic reaction, they were rather a clinical exception, a rarity. Obviously, with the benefits of the modern world, with the acquisition of scientific and technological progress, a person simultaneously loses the normal adaptive and protective function of the immune system, which has ceased to fully perform its work. In this regard, strengthening the immune system, adherence to the norms and rules of a healthy lifestyle become even more urgent, since these actions are not only able to prevent allergic reactions and other ailments, but also to improve the quality of life in general.