Definition
What is Hay Fever?
With the term "hay fever" s "means an allergic rhinitis caused by pollinosis: it is a very common" allergopathy, which tends to recur seasonally or periodically in sensitive subjects. Hay fever affects the nasal mucosa, eyes and respiratory tract, and is mainly caused by pollen; some individuals manifest allergopathy also following contact with dust, feline fur and other possible irritants.
However, a clarification must be made: pollen does not represent the real allergen responsible for hay fever; only by convention is it customary to say that it is responsible for it. In reality, hay fever is triggered by certain proteins contained within the pollen: for example, profilins, reserve proteins, pathogenesis related proteins, etc.
Causes
Triggers and Predisposing Factors for Hay Fever
It is clear that, being allergic rhinitis generated by pollen, hay fever tends to worsen in spring, near flower parks and countryside. Regardless of the seasonality of allergy, it has been shown that hay fever can also be affected by strong emotional stress and excessive alcohol intake.
Over 20 different types of hay fever have been identified, triggered by more than 3,500 plants: the most "dangerous" are birch, ash and grasses in general.
Biochemical causes
Pollen proteins are the main culprits responsible for hay fever: being allergens, the first time they come into contact with a sensitive organism, they induce the production of antibodies. Subsequently, in case of a new contact between allergen and organism, the pollen proteins are perceived more quickly as potentially dangerous (sensitization), therefore the organism responds with more or less intense allergic phenomena, according to the sensitivity and reactivity of the subject.
In allergic subjects, continuous sneezing are mainly due to the release of histamine, operated by mast cells: histamine is poured onto the receptors, triggering a vicious circle that inevitably generates sneezing, nasal itching and edema.
Symptoms
What are the symptoms of hay fever?
Typical symptoms of hay fever are continuous sneezing, nasal itching, red eyes and a constant feeling of stuffy nose, often due to runny nose (abundant watery nasal discharge); among the most common symptoms, breathing difficulty is also mentioned, mainly caused by rhinorrhea.
In addition, hay fever can also generate an annoying itch in the palate, eyes and, more rarely, ears.
It is very common that the typical signs of allergy are also associated with headaches and general fatigue, symptoms even more marked in those subjects suffering from chronic forms of hay fever, with repeated exacerbations throughout the year regardless of the presence of pollen or of irritants.
The most problematic symptoms of hay fever are edema and congestion of the nasal mucosa: for these reasons, the subject is unable to breathe through the nose, since the nostrils are blocked by mucus and the passage of oxygen is denied. .
Sometimes, hay fever also causes pharyngitis and conjunctivitis; in some subjects, continuous sneezing and nasal congestion induce stress, so much so as to generate a certain nervous irritability. When hay fever is also related to inflammatory processes in the bronchial mucosa, the condition of the affected subject could degenerate, to the point of developing a real asthmatic crisis.
Diagnosis
How is hay fever diagnosed?
Three common procedures are required to diagnose hay fever; history, physical examination and laboratory tests. The patient's medical history is based on the collection of information relating to the symptoms he complains, followed by the search for a possible familiarity with the allergy to investigate the genetic predisposition. The physical examination consists in the investigation of the common and classic symptoms of the hypothesized allergopathy; while the laboratory tests - including blood tests and the search for type E immunoglobulins - represent a "further confirmation of hay fever, however. not always essential.
Furthermore, to complete the diagnostic picture, the RAST-test, the RAST-similar, the intradermal tests and the prick-test are recommended, useful for isolating the allergen, and therefore for implementing a seasonal prophylaxis plan.
Care
What Are Hay Fever Cures and Treatments?
The administration of antihistamine drugs, which hinder the histamine action, reduce the symptoms generated by hay fever; also the use of decongestants and substances with a vasoconstrictive action can be very useful.
In allergic and asthmatic patients, in which the symptoms appear particularly intense, the doctor generally prescribes corticosteroids, capable of exerting a strong anti-inflammatory action, thus relieving allergic symptoms and asthma in a short time.
When the allergen responsible for the allergic reaction from hay is isolated, a desensitization intervention is possible: it is an immuno-therapy approach which consists in the administration of specific doses of the allergen itself, subcutaneously. By doing so, the immune system is gradually accustomed to the presence of the antigen, as a kind of addiction to the allergen. Unfortunately, this therapy is not useful in all patients, as each subject reacts in their own way to treatment.
Another alternative therapy comes from the medical school of Sapporo (Japan): hay fever seems to react positively to the inoculation of vitamin E, thanks to its alleged antihistamine properties. In fact, tocopherol seems to reduce pressure, numbness and some typical symptoms of hay fever. However, this alternative hay fever cure has yet to actually be proven.
Summary
Hay fever in short
Possible correlation between pollinosis, excessive alcohol intake and stress
- Common symptoms: continuous sneezing, nasal itching, red eyes, constant feeling of stuffy nose often due to rhinorrhea, annoying itching of the palate, eyes and, more rarely, ears, difficulty breathing.
- Signs associated with pollinosis: headache, general fatigue, irritability, stress
- Less frequent symptoms: pharyngitis, conjunctivitis
- Most dangerous symptoms: edema, congestion of the nasal mucosa, inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, asthma
- Anamnesis
- Physical examination
- Laboratory tests: blood tests and search for type E immunoglobulins
- RAST-test, the RAST-like, intradermal tests and prick-test: to isolate the allergen
- Administration of antihistamine drugs
- Use of decongestants
- Substances with vasoconstrictive action
- Corticosteroids (particularly intense symptoms)
- Desensitization intervention: it consists in the administration of specific doses of the allergen itself, subcutaneously
- Alternative therapy: inoculation of vitamin E (alleged antihistamine properties, useful in the prevention of hay fever, practice not yet proven and not approved)
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