How is allergy treated?

Spring comes, the flowers bloom and allergy diseases spread.

How can we diagnose whether we are allergic and what are the best treatment methods today?

Just before you sneeze, Dr. Yehuda Schwartz, a lung medicine specialist, gives all the answers

Dori Naveh, in collaboration with zap doctors

06/04/2022

Wednesday, 06 April 2022, 07:03 Updated: 15:35

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"Allergy is genetic, there are groups in the population that are more likely to suffer" (Photo: ShutterStock)

"70% of the allergy population suffers from allergy to house dust mites and only 30% are allergic to seasonal flowering of plants only," says Dr. Yehuda Schwartz, a specialist in pulmonary medicine.

It is mainly found in homes, mattresses and pillows. "When it comes to seasonal allergies, certain plants such as wild grass or the olive tree that blooms in the spring and is very common in our area, also cause allergies, explains Dr. Schwartz.

"Allergic rhinitis, sneezing, stuffy nose, redness in the eyes. In allergic asthma there are more symptoms of wheezing and phlegm usually."

"The simple and effective test is skin tests for environmental inhalers. Put a drop of each allergen at a separate point in the mother, by a gentle scratch, and after 20 minutes examine the reaction: if redness and especially swelling occur, we know the body recognizes the allergen and responds with inflammatory cell stimulation." .

"Sometimes," explains Dr. Schwartz, there will be no distinct reaction or the skin may overreact and it is difficult to diagnose which allergen it has reacted to.

"In such cases, the diagnosis is supplemented with a special blood test called RAST - a test that can also be performed to diagnose skin problems or for infants who cannot have skin tests. RAST uses the same allergens and in case they produce a reaction, an allergy is actually diagnosed."

"Yes, allergy is genetic. There are groups in the population that are more likely to suffer. A person is born with a tendency to allergy and depending on the exposure there are symptoms. There is a person whose allergy severity is not high, and because he is not exposed to allergens he is sensitive to, Changes that occur in the body and on the other hand a function of the intensity of exposure. "

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"If the disease is mild in severity, it passes with or without treatment" (Photo: ShutterStock)

Can the allergy go away without treatment?

"If the disease is mild, it goes away with or without treatment, but without treatment it may take longer. Exposure to house dust mites is throughout the year, so it is actually a chronic disease. Asthma is also defined as a chronic inflammatory disease, but if the allergic person takes treatment "I prevent him, he goes through the season without problems and can reach a situation where even if he does not take care of daily treatment, his condition will improve. In most cases, patients who suffer for more than a year will need treatment for many months until treatment can be stopped."

"The best treatment is to remove the cause. In case of allergy to house dust mites - do not accumulate books and objects that collect dust, maintain a sterile and mostly non-dusty environment, use a vacuum cleaner (and not a broom) on all objects, including the mattress and pillow and wet rag to clean surfaces "And not a dry rag that can disperse the cause of the allergy but not remove it."

Dr. Schwartz adds that care should be taken when replacing winter clothes with summer clothes this season. These have been stored in the closet and meanwhile have accumulated quite a bit of dust, so it is best to wash them before use.

In case of allergic asthma, the most common and easiest method is With bronchodilators and nasal sprays based on steroids and antihistamines. For those who suffer from allergic rhinitis - as soon as the symptoms begin to appear, Dr. Schwartz explains, it is recommended to take a spray regularly to curb the symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Today there is a drug that is taken orally instead of by injection, in order to get vaccinated against the allergy, and the treatment with the spray can be stopped but this should be done with the consultation and guidance of the attending physician.

For those who are allergic to the olive tree or grass, Dr. Schwartz recommends "using an epic spray based on steroids or antihistamines to stop the allergy outbreak.

For asthmatics I would recommend using inhaled steroids before the start of the season to get through it easily and calmly without developing severe symptoms.

It should be remembered that once the symptoms begin to appear, it is more difficult to regulate and improve the condition and it takes longer to treat the allergy, "concludes Dr. Schwartz.

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