Allergic to everything, even to your lover

One can suffocate not only from an excess of feelings; and tears flowing down the cheeks are not always a sign of an emotional personality. Perhaps you just belong to that legion whose name is allergy sufferers.

Everyone without exception has heard the word “allergy”, although not many can explain exactly what it means. Let's try to figure out what kind of animal this is.

The defense system of our body (aka immunity) works on the principle of “friend or foe”. Each cell, each piece of protein or DNA is “interrogated” by lymphocytes; if the correct response is not received, a command is given for destruction. The “foreign” antigen is destroyed by a targeted strike of a specially manufactured immune weapon - antibodies.

However, sometimes a malfunction occurs, and instead of high-precision weapons, the body begins to use tactical nuclear charges. The antigen, of course, is destroyed, but the body itself suffers no less. Such immune reactions are called allergic (from the Greek words allos - other, and ergon - action). A substance to which the body develops hypersensitivity is called an allergen.

Scientists do not yet have a consensus on why allergic reactions occur. It is suggested that this is a kind of payment by humanity for environmental pollution. And the advances in medicine mean that people are now alive and well with health problems that would have been literally impossible to survive fifty years ago. Because of this, the “genetic load” of generations accumulates. In a word, there are many versions, but no clarity.

Only one thing is clear - anything can act as an allergen.

Ranunculus flowers

Imagine that a fan gives you a gorgeous bouquet, and you sneeze on it. For a fan. In the most natural way. Once, twice, three times, and you can’t stop. It is possible to calm down only when the flowers disappear into the garbage chute, and the admirer disappears behind a slammed door. But it’s not your fault, and the bouquet was excellent, and the admirer was fine. But the sellers in the flower shop used some kind of foxtail to decorate the bouquet, and its pollen is a strong allergen, like the pollen of many other plants.

It is curious that the flowers that we most often give to friends and relatives are harmless in terms of allergies. Trees and grasses pose the greatest danger. Of the trees, the most malicious “forest” is considered to be the same Russian birch that stood in the field. What she does to people, no riot police “Cheryemukha” could even dream of in their worst nightmare. Among the grasses, cereal weeds cause the most problems. It is clear why the first name for pollen allergy, given to it at the beginning of the 19th century, is “hay fever.” There’s plenty of pollen in the freshly mown hay. There’s no time for pleasure in the hayloft, just to catch my breath.

What to do?

1. Take antiallergic drugs (Tavegil, Suprastin, Claritin, Diazolin, etc.) during the flowering period of plants. It is necessary to choose “your” drug, since individual sensitivity to them varies greatly.

2. Carry out desensitizing therapy - determine the type of allergen and use microdoses to accustom the body to it. This procedure is carried out only by an immunologist.

3. Go to a place where the problem plant is not found. Antarctica or the Sahara are ideal; in other places there is a real possibility of being allergic to something else.

Barsik, scat!

Imagine that a fan gives you a kitten or puppy. You hug the living gift to yourself in delight and... understand that the situation with the bouquet will now repeat itself. Tears are pouring in, non-stop sneezing, hands are red, swollen and itchy. In this case, animal fur acted as an allergen. And if a four-legged pet settles in your house, then particles of saliva, urine and other natural substances will also become a source of trouble.