Household allergy or allergy to household chemicals
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Increasingly in the modern world, there is a household allergy as a payment for increasing comfort, saturation of the environment with various chemical compounds, a change in the quality of nutrition and, as a consequence, an increasing number of failures in the functioning of the immune system. The very concept of household allergies appeared relatively recently. As a rule, in human life, the first type of allergy is food.
Further, with the development of the general state of allergization, other types of allergies also appear. If the patient is constantly accompanied by respiratory manifestations of allergies that do not weaken in the winter and after a year the patient was unable to tie the conditions of improvement or deterioration of the course of the disease by the time of year, one should suspect a domestic allergy.
[Causes of household allergies
The causes of household allergies are not fully understood and each patient may have individual allergens provocateurs, but there are several common causes of the occurrence of household allergies. The main causes of household allergies lie in the hereditary imperfection of the immune system of the individual. However, among the provoking factors in the development of the disease, household dust mites (insects themselves and their vital activity products), household chemicals, molds (especially mold spores), the saturation of the environment with various chemical elements (due to repairs, smoking, living in ecologically polluted areas).
Symptoms of allergy to household chemicals
The easiest to diagnose is the allergy to household chemicals. This type of allergy refers to contact allergies and, as a rule, the manifestations disappear after stopping contact with the allergen. Allergy to household chemicals is diagnosed all over the globe and is a natural immune response to aggressive components. The appearance of an allergy to chemical means indicates that the components penetrate the protective barrier (skin, mucous eyes, nose) and enter the bloodstream, where they meet with the cells of immunity. If you are predisposed to reactions of an allergic type, you should sometimes replace aggressive chemical agents with traditional ones that do not cause such reactions. For example, soda, food vinegar, salt can successfully compete with liquid detergents.
Actually, the symptoms of allergy to household chemicals can not be seen impossible. They appear in the form of lacrimation, rhinitis (runny nose), attacks of suffocation or coughing / sneezing, but the most common are dermatitis. Dermatitis after contact with the allergen appears as local, clearly delineated hyperemic (reddened) fields with or without itching in places of contact with the allergen, often with an increase in temperature in the affected areas. Similarly, the symptoms of allergy to household chemicals can manifest as a rash throughout the body. Probably the development of bronchospasm (before the stage of formation of bronchial asthma). In the diagnosis should take into account the likely application of several allergenic factors and the principle of accumulation in the immune response, ie, in the initial contact with a future allergen, the immune response may be insignificant or absent, only in the future, with constant contacts and readiness of the immune system to respond, the "stimulus- reaction "will be rapid and clear.
The most common type of household allergy after allergies to chemicals is an allergy to household dust. Actually, as an allergen, not the dust, but the mites that live in the house, and the products of their vital activity, act. Ticks feed on the smallest organic remains, such as particles of dandruff, human skin or pets. Especially a lot of them in such dark and warm places as fillers of pillows and blankets, feather beds and upholstery upholstery. In this case, the manifestations of allergy are enhanced by contact with the bed, sofas and armchairs, books, blankets. The products of the mites are negligible (the remains of the shell of dead individuals, feces) and easily fill the air with the slightest movement.
Treatment of allergies to household chemicals
If suspected of allergic reactions, allergic tests are carried out, in case of a positive result (detection of allergy to dust, mold, household chemicals), an allergist prescribes treatment of a household allergy, which consists of drug support and a change in the patient's lifestyle. If modern medications are easy to give the declared result (relief from rhinitis, lacrimation, sneezing and coughing, removal of spasm of respiratory muscles) with medication, then the change in style and rhythm of life is produced with considerable difficulties. The patient needs self-control and self-examination of his condition, as taking medications is usually symptomatic. Only in the case of severe bronchial asthma, drugs are taken continuously, regardless of the presence of seizures. The patient must observe the regime of the day, if possible, play sports, as the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, eating and physical exercise has a favorable effect on the overall physical and mental state, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the immune system. To alleviate the condition with allergies, antihistamines (loratadine, zodak) are also used, as well as alternative agents in the form of tinctures of dandelion root with burdock root (root rhizomes in crushed form to insist night, boil 10 minutes in the morning and take half a cup before meals 5 times a day Brew 2 tablespoons of rhizomes for 3 glasses of water), tincture of peppermint (10 grams of mint brew half a cup of boiling water and insist half an hour.Take a tablespoon three times a day). Pharmacy drugs and alternative methods are selected individually, after comprehensive examination and under the supervision of specialists.
In general, the treatment of allergy to household chemicals is to stop contact with the allergen. It is necessary to exclude not only various chemical detergents used "manually", but also take into account the fact that modern automatic machines can not completely rinse out powder particles from tissues when washing. To improve the patient's condition during the fading of the immune response, antihistamines (tableted or in syrups) are prescribed. Previously popular suprastin and tavegil had a wide list of contraindications, currently used drugs such as zodak, edem, claritin have a minor side effect. It should be remembered that the complete extinction of the immune reaction occurs on the 21-28th day after its vivid manifestation. These terms should be observed when carrying out allergens. All drugs aimed at reducing allergy manifestations are symptomatic, that is, they can not prevent the production of specific and nonspecific immune bodies due to a reaction to an allergen.
Particular attention should be paid to planning methods of dealing with allergies, what to do with household allergies, if contact with life can not be avoided? Be sure to reduce the number of things that can detain dust. All feather and wadded items are replaced with products that allow their washing or other available regular processing. Remove carpets, drapes, rugs. Regularly carry out a wet cleaning, which will facilitate the vacuum cleaner with a water filter. If cleaning is carried out by the allergic person, it is necessary to use a gauze bandage (respirator, any analogues), as well as to follow the places of appearance of the fungus (mold) and constantly disinfect the places where the spores appear (dark spots, black plaque). When manifesting the symptoms of allergies, you should take antihistamines.
The most difficult in the organizational plan is the correction of household allergy in children. Very often it is necessary to isolate the child even from soft toys, from terry clothing, woolen products, constantly to conduct careful wet cleaning in the children's room. To maintain cleanliness, chemical reagents can not be used, it is also necessary to monitor the quality of powders for children's clothing and the child's reaction to them. If the level of air pollution does not allow you to constantly ventilate the room and parents use air conditioning or air filters (as well as humidifiers), one should remember about their timely prevention and full cleaning of the filters. Breeding molds in coolers can cause severe allergic reactions.
Prevention of household allergies
Actually, prevention of household allergies is the constant thorough elimination of allergens. If there is a household allergy, the patient should analyze the state of the environment. If the patient enters the environment, saturated with potential allergens, you should take antihistamines and leave the room (the object). For example, a visit to guests should be carefully planned, as the situation in the room can be extremely unfavorable for an allergic person. Even a small amount of fungus (mold) in the bathroom, where guests wash their hands, can lead to a serious exacerbation of the disease, since mold spores easily spread through the bathroom room, populate the air (getting into the lungs), towels (get in hands, with food, into the stomach), and the powder itself, with which the towel was washed, can carry a potential threat. It should also be remembered that in the bathroom, in the toilet, household chemical stores are usually stored for the house, which often leads to their insignificant evaporation in the space of closed wet rooms. Especially dangerous for allergy sufferers are smokers and people who use the rich aromas of perfume.