Allergy to ragweed: symptoms. Ruby allergy tablets

Let the myths of ambrosia and called the food of the gods, which grants them eternal youth, but unfortunately this does not apply to people. 70 million inhabitants of our planet already have an allergy to ragweed. Symptoms of this immune reaction of the body are nonspecific, but very obvious and painful for patients.

Ambrosia - a thunderstorm of allergies!

Ambrosia is a weed plant brought to Europe from North America. It is so well established in our temperate climate that it began actively spreading on fields, pastures, near roads in large and small cities. This inconspicuous at first glance, weeds gives a lot of trouble and the agricultural industry. It dries up the soil, prevents other plants from developing, it is eaten by cows, which causes the taste and smell of milk to change for the worse. Legislation welcomes the fight against ambrosia by any means. But even more harm this weed brings to a person, since its pollen causes the strongest allergies in both children and adults.

Why ragweed causes allergies

Pollen ragweed is considered one of the most aggressive allergens. After all, just a couple of its grains are enough to cause allergies, hay fever or even bronchial asthma. The most unpleasant thing is that this weed has a very long flowering period - from July to the onset of cold weather. All this period allergy sufferers have to look for ways to save themselves from ambrosia by any means, although it is very difficult to hide from it. Each plant flower can isolate up to a billion pollen grains, which are spread by the wind for a distance of about 500 km.

Like any other pollinosis, the reaction to ragweed occurs after contact with pollen, which contains a special substance - ambrosic acid. It is the main irritant for the human immune system. Especially strongly manifested allergy to ragweed in children. Therefore, if possible, it is better to avoid being near this plant, let alone contact with it. You can also get the disease if you use milk of animals that used the "food of the gods." Another unpleasant fact is that the allergy to ambrosia is accompanied by a cross-reaction to the pollen of wormwood, coltsfoot, sunflower, string and other plants.

The mechanism of allergic reaction to ragweed

The ragweed allergy belongs to the classic pollinosis and belongs to the first type of reactions. That is, it occurs immediately or a few hours after contact with the pollen. In this case, allergens provoke the formation of antibodies-reactants IgG and IgE, which, when combined with mast cells and basophilic leukocytes, cause the release of inflammatory mediators into the blood stream: histamine, serotonin, heparin, prostaglandins and other substances that cause all clinical signs of allergy.

Diagnosis of the disease includes evaluation of the clinical picture, clarification of the cyclicity of the manifestation of symptoms and the conduct of laboratory tests. Modern methods allow you to easily identify allergies in both the latent and acute phase, regardless of the use of antihistamines. Main research methods:

• Skin tests.
• Samples on mucous membranes.
• ELISA (enzyme immunoassay).
• RAST (radioallergosorbent test).

All tests are carried out in special medical laboratories, and the analysis of the diagnosis and the diagnosis must be entrusted to the allergist.

How is the allergy to ragweed

In the middle of the summer, people with colds often meet. They constantly sneeze, their eyes are red and watery, and from the nose it pours down the river - this is nothing but an allergy to ragweed, the symptoms of which are so similar to a cold disease. Seasonality of the disease is associated with the flowering of the plant - from the beginning of the second month of summer to the onset of autumn colds.

The main signs of allergy :

• Sneezing;
• Puffiness and stuffiness of the nose;
• Mucous transparent discharge from the nose;
• Itching and swelling in the nasopharynx and soft palate;
• sore throat;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Conjunctivitis (itching, redness, swelling, lacrimation, photophobia);
• Atopic dermatitis in open areas of the body (itching, flushing and rashes on the skin);
• Bronchospasm, bronchial asthma;
• General intoxication: fatigue; Irritability; depression; insomnia; A slight increase in temperature; headache.

Rarely, these symptoms can be associated with laryngitis and sinusitis. Nonspecific manifestations of allergies include:

• Meningitis;
• Encephalitis;
• Hepatitis;
• Gastritis;
• Disturbance of the visual and auditory nerve.

When a person first appears allergic to ragweed, the symptoms speak for themselves. Although some patients take it for the usual ARI.

If the child is allergic to ragweed

Quite often there is an allergy to ragweed in children. In 50% of cases, the disease manifests itself before the age of 15 years. Until the age of 6, the disease is rare. Usually it develops in children with frequent illnesses with reduced immunity and a tendency to develop allergic reactions that live in ecologically unfavorable places. It was found that children in contact with large animals (cats, dogs, etc.), were more likely to have pollinosis. Excessive hygiene and sterility when raising a child also causes a tendency to allergies.

If the child has developed an allergy to ragweed, the symptoms of the disease will be the same as in the adult. However, the immune system is not yet fully formed in children, so the clinical manifestations are much more pronounced, in addition, there is a high risk of developing bronchial asthma or attacks of suffocation.

How to medically treat allergy to ragweed

Many patients begin to sneeze only from the words: "summer", "ambrosia", "allergy". How to treat the hay fever, in order to really be the result, only the expert can tell. Therapy is prescribed exclusively by an allergist, depending on the stage of the disease, the age of the patient and the individual characteristics of his organism. The main areas of therapy are:

• The use of antihistamines, which eliminate the action of inflammatory mediators and thereby relieve itching, swelling, redness. Provoking a sedative effect, these drugs bring the nervous system of the patient back to normal. Antihistamines include: "Dimedrol", "Diazolin", "Fenistil", "Loratadin", "Desloratadine", "Levocithyrizine", etc.
• Admission of hormonal drugs. This treatment is used if the allergy has already developed into bronchial asthma or when antihistamines do not help. The use of steroid preparations in the form of nasal sprays and drops helps to relieve swelling, spasm, inflammation, redness and other allergy symptoms. These drugs include: "Baconaz", "Rinocort," "Nazonex," and others.
• Alternative methods: acupuncture, immunotherapy, homeopathy.

You can take as tablets from allergies to ragweed, and drops in the eyes and nose.

The most effective method of treatment is moving to a place where ragweed does not grow.

How not to aggravate the condition?

To prevent the development of an allergic reaction to ragweed, you should try to follow preventive measures:

• Do not go out in the midst of blooming.
• When winding, curtain the windows with a damp cloth.
• Put mosquito nets on the windows for additional protection.
• Use at home and in the car air conditioning.
• Do a wet cleaning at home twice a day.
• Change clothes and wash right after coming home from the street.
• Wash everyday street clothes and dry it only indoors.
• Gargle and nose with saline every day.
• Bathe pets, having access to the street.
• Free the apartment from carpets, bedspreads, pillows, etc.
• Avoid stress.
• Visit the allergist.
• Perform doctor's appointments.
• Exclude herbal treatment: chamomile, plantain, dandelion, wormwood, string, yarrow, etc.

Do not eat foods that contain cross-allergens:

• Nuts;
• honey;
• citrus;
• Sunflower products;
• Cumin, ginger and other spices;
• Dill, celery and other greens;
• chicory;
• mustard;
• mayonnaise;
• Watermelon, melon;
• Drinks with wormwood;
• Chocolate and so on.

It is also very important to follow a diet that eliminates sharp, smoked, fried and fatty foods.

Folk remedies for fighting allergies

Sometimes, when the allergy to ambrosia is won by traditional methods in the unequal struggle with the disease, folk remedies remain the only option. Although often the advice of doctors and "grandmother's recipes" contradict each other. For example: "Take the juice of the celery root half an hour before eating" or "Baths and infusions of camomile chamomile - an excellent remedy against allergies." Also, in people, allergy is treated with infusions of three-color violets, red and blackcurrant calens, etc. So, by and large, these methods are unlikely to bring relief to the patient, let alone cope with allergies.

Very often women in the situation try to be treated with folk medicine, since the allergy to ragweed during pregnancy practically does not lend itself to medical treatment, since most drugs during this period of a woman's life are prohibited. However, self-medication can cause more harm.

It is very important to recognize the symptoms of the disease in time and consult a specialist for adequate therapy. It is impossible to completely overcome allergies, but to prevent its manifestation and reduce the intensity of symptoms is quite feasible.