Watch Out for Hay Fever in Spring

Allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, causes restrictions in work and social life, particularly during spring months when airborne pollen levels increase, creating problems for many people. Following complaints such as itching and redness on the body, clear nasal discharge and swelling, frequent consecutive sneezing, and itching in the eyes, the list goes on. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Cem Özbek provided information on allergic rhinitis and its treatment. Allergy occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly perceives harmless plant pollen, house dust mites, or animal hair as harmful and produces antibodies against them. In this sense, the body unnecessarily generates a defensive response. Thus, pollen or other allergens become recorded as harmful in the body's immune system memory. Once an antibody is produced in the immune system, a substance called histamine is automatically generated with each subsequent encounter with the same allergen. The more frequently a person encounters an allergen, the greater the body's response and the more histamine is released.

Should Not Be Confused with Common Cold

Allergy is a disease affecting 10-25 percent of the population. In addition to nasal discharge, sneezing, and tearing eyes, it can also cause nasal congestion, which may reduce sleep quality at night. Nasal congestion also causes dark circles under the eyes. People with allergies experience sinusitis, middle ear infections, and asthma more frequently. Nasal discharge resulting from allergies can sometimes be confused initially with nasal discharge stemming from respiratory tract infections. During allergic discharge, patients do not have fever and generally feel well. Fatigue relates to sleep disturbances caused by nasal congestion, but it is never as severe as observed in respiratory tract infections.

House Dust and Tree Pollens as Allergy Causes

Tree pollens cause problems mainly in May-June, grass pollens in July-August, and wild plant pollens in September-October. Allergens that persist year-round are frequently attributed to house dust, mold, and household pets. Pollen concentration is highest in May-June. Depending on climatic conditions, this concentration may extend until mid-April and mid-July. Working indoors versus in a greenhouse, or spending most of the day in open areas versus at home or work, produces different outcomes for someone with pollen allergy. Pollen concentration is lower during rainy weather and higher during windy and sunny conditions. Morning hours are also periods of high pollen concentration. People with severe allergies should not stay outdoors for extended periods on windy and sunny days; during this time, they should wear glasses and, if possible, keep their mouth and nose covered. Upon arriving home, they should change clothes in another room and, since pollen accumulates significantly in hair, they should preferably wash their hair and, if possible, shower to minimize pollen throughout the body. During months with high pollen levels, homes and especially bedrooms should be ventilated briefly. The best form of protection is avoiding the allergen, but this cannot always be achieved and is often insufficient. When allergen avoidance is inadequate, medication treatment is necessary. Since each patient's reaction to an allergen differs and allergen concentration changes from day to day, different treatments are applied for each patient and sometimes even for each day. For a patient with significant nasal discharge and congestion, intranasal corticosteroid or antihistamine sprays, which block histamine release, should be administered first. Antihistamine tablets can be used in patients who do not achieve sufficient results with nasal spray or who have problems in other body areas such as eye itching. Sometimes, despite all these medications, patients' complaints may persist. In such cases, a second allergy medication can be administered orally. Rather than starting all medications at once, medications should be given individually and their effectiveness in the patient observed. This prevents unnecessary overuse of medications. If despite all these treatments the patient continues to experience severe allergy symptoms, corticosteroid injections may also be administered. However, corticosteroid injections should always be considered a last resort, and patients should be adequately informed about the medication. The most significant drawback of these injections is that they suppress the adrenal glands, causing hormonal imbalances.