Birch allergy

Birch allergy is a fairly common type of pollen allergy that affects both children and adults.

Many do not even suspect the reason for their malaise, which most often occurs at the end of April and lasts until May. The fact is that it is at this time that birch blossoms, which bothers allergy sufferers.

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Causes of Birch Allergy

Birch, or more precisely birch pollen, contains about forty protein compounds, but only six of them cause allergies. However, in 90% of cases of the disease, the culprit is hypersensitivity to the most harmful protein – glycoprotein.

It is worth remembering that pollen from a plant (no matter which one) does not affect a healthy person in any way. But if your body is even a little weakened, then allergies (including to birch) cannot be avoided.

The main cause of birch allergy is a weakened immune system or its improper functioning. Therefore, having felt the first signs of the disease, you should seriously engage in restoring your immunity.

It is also worth remembering that allergy sufferers are people who, as a rule, have liver problems.

In addition to a weakened immune system, birch allergy can be caused by individual intolerance to one of the components of the plant's pollen or heredity.

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Symptoms of Birch Allergy

In mild to moderate forms of birch allergy, the symptoms of the disease are no different from the symptoms of any other pollen allergy, these are:

• Allergic rhinitis (nasal congestion and sneezing).
• Increased lacrimation.
• Conjunctivitis (itching, redness and soreness of the whites of the eyes and eyelids).
• Suffocation.

These symptoms appear as soon as a person is near the allergen.

In a more severe form of birch pollen allergy, the following occurs:

• Hives.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Fever.

Birch allergy in a child

The causes and symptoms of birch allergy in children are no different from the troubles associated with this disease in adults.

Living in a metropolitan area with poor ecology affects children more than adults, so allergies in children can be more severe.

If your child has been diagnosed with an allergy to birch pollen, it is necessary not only to isolate him from the allergen, but also to treat him according to all medical prescriptions. Remember that an advanced disease in a child is fraught with a severe form of dermatitis, bronchial asthma, damage to the nervous system and almost all organs in adulthood!

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Cross allergy to birch

Cross-allergy occurs in almost all people who suffer from pollen allergy. A person's health worsens when he eats raw fruits or vegetables. The thing is that the proteins in some foods and pollen are so similar that a weakened body does not feel the difference.

Thus, a person who suffers from an allergy to birch should avoid eating: stone fruits (apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, etc.), nuts (walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts), raw carrots, kiwi, and celery. Otherwise, if the allergy sufferer eats any of the listed products, the symptoms of the disease will worsen.

Fortunately, cross-allergy in those who are intolerant to birch pollen occurs only in 7% of cases. But this is no reason to forget about the warnings of doctors.

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Diagnosis of birch allergy

In order for the treatment to be effective and unpleasant symptoms not to bother you throughout the spring period, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of your allergy. Do not rely on your own feelings - you must consult an allergist.

Diagnosis of birch allergy involves special tests and blood analysis, which will show a reaction to the T3 allergen – it is the cause of hypersensitivity to birch pollen.

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Treatment of birch allergy

Firstly, the most important step in treating birch allergy is to see a doctor in a timely manner.

But, unfortunately, you will not be able to avoid unpleasant allergy symptoms, therefore, to alleviate them and improve the general condition, the following medications are prescribed:

• Cromoghexal – spray for allergic rhinitis (for children and adults – one spray in each nostril 4 times a day).
• Cromoghexal, as eye drops (for children and adults – one drop 4 times a day).
• Singulair – for seasonal rhinitis and bronchial asthma due to allergies (adults and children over 15 years old – 1 tablet of 10 mg in the evening, children 2-5 years old – 1 tablet of 4 mg once a day, children 6-14 years old – 1 tablet of 5 mg once a day).
• Telfast (adults and children over 12 years old – 1 tablet of 120-180 mg once a day, children from 6 to 11 – two tablets of 30 mg per day).
• Suprastin (for adults – 1 tablet of 0.025 2-3 times a day during meals or intravenously and intramuscularly – 1-2 ml of a 2% solution, for children – half or a quarter of a tablet of 0.025 depending on age).

In addition to drug treatment, there are also folk remedies for overcoming birch allergies:

• Crush a pinch of birch buds (from the pharmacy) and pour 100 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 10 minutes, strain and add to the bath. Gradually increase the dose to two tablespoons. Such baths should be taken 2-3 times a week in winter or early spring. In this way, you can accustom your body to the plant and completely get rid of birch allergy.
• For allergies, an infusion of herbs from strawberry leaves (3 parts), wormwood (2 parts), dandelion and burdock root, and nettle (4 parts) is effective. Grind the herbs, pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture with one glass of boiling water and leave overnight. Take a strained glass of the decoction three times a day.

In addition, when birch trees are in bloom, wear a medical mask when you go outside, and ideally, go to a place where birch trees do not grow.

Diet for birch allergy

First of all, you need to exclude from your diet foods that can cause cross-allergies: stone fruits (peaches, apricots, cherries, plums), nuts (except peanuts), celery, kiwi, fresh carrots, young potatoes.

Reduce your consumption of sweets (sugar, jam, chocolate, ice cream, etc.).

Completely abstain from alcohol, birch sap and teas with the addition of birch buds and leaves, alder.

As with any other disease, you need to be careful when consuming smoked foods, pickles and marinades.

Read more about the allergy diet.

Birch allergy is a fairly common disease in our climate, but following the rules and a timely visit to the doctor will help you, if not get rid of it forever, then easily endure the flowering period of the tree.

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