In allergy sufferers, for unknown reasons, the immune system "blots" harmless flower pollen, food particles and other substances that are normally health-neutral with dangerous germs or parasites. It mobilizes immune cells to strenuous and chronic struggle with the apparent but mass influxing "aggressor" - an allergen. The result of this fight are symptoms that cause serious damage to health.
Seasonality of symptoms facilitates the diagnosis of plant allergens
Is the so-called the seasonality of symptoms, i.e. the annual appearance of them in specific months, may be the basis for the diagnosis of the disease and allergen? Yes. The doctor absolutely should ask the patient about the period of the first symptoms of rhinitis and their duration. If these facts are successfully recalled, the allergen can be recognized. By remembering the date of the first symptoms of rhinitis, the duration of the disease will enable comparison of these data with the dusting time of typical plant allergens: trees, grasses, weeds. The doctor will also pay attention to whether this is not yet another year in a row in which, at a specific time and in situations related to the intensive dusting of plants, we suffer from "cold and cold for no reason".
Can you give an example of such a diagnosis?
Patients with seasonal complaints are usually allergic to plant pollen or molds. In Poland, the first seasonal allergens are tree pollen. The concentration of their pollen increases well before the start of the warm season. Hazel begins to dust in the second half of January and ends in mid-April. Only two weeks later, the alder pollinates (and ends also two weeks later). If we determine that during this period of time we have a long-lasting cold catarrh, lasting more than 10 days and without elevated temperature (the latter would indicate a common cold complicated by bacterial infection) - then we may suspect that it is an allergic rhinitis. This disease, due to the type of allergen that causes the disease is also called pollinosis or hay fever.
How to confirm the suppositions with facts?
To this end, additional circumstances should be investigated. First, determine whether the symptoms worsen after leaving the house or not. If it turns out that the discomfort of the cataracts increases significantly - then check whether the hazel or alder grows near the house of the allergist or his work place. If this is the case, then we may suppose that the symptoms of allergic rhinitis occurring at this time are caused by allergy to the pollen of these trees.
What other pollen tree inflorescences and at what time may be the cause of allergies?
In April - allergic rhinitis causes pollen, birch and poplar pollen, while in May the cause of allergy is oak pollination. Using the analysis scheme described above - with a large degree of probability, we can determine that the person who started to suffer from "runny nose without reason" - an allergen is the pollen of one of these trees. Of course, it is good to verify this assumption with a special allergy test carried out under the supervision of an allergologist.
Is the pollination of tree inflorescences the primary cause of allergies in Poland?
No, in Poland the most often sensitize grass. Almost 60% of people with allergies suffer from this type of allergy. Often, allergy to grass is associated with allergy to grain, especially to pollen and corn. The pollen of popular weeds, blooming later, is less likely to be sensitized. Trees are the cause of hay fever in only a dozen or so percent of patients.
When do you start to dust grass?
Usually, it is around May 15, and more recently, heavy dusting begins earlier. The period of grass pollination continues until mid-July.The allergen recognition, which makes us sensitive based on the time of grass pollination and determining the proximity of meadows to the place of residence is always possible, although subject to the risk of error. Plant pollen on a sunny windy day is able to travel long distances. In addition, at the same time the inflorescences of several herbs, ie sorrel, plantain, and nettle begin to dust.
How to distinguish grass pollen from pollen from herbs?
The distinction can be made thanks to the large difference in dusting time of plants. Grass pollination usually ends in the middle of July, and the pollination of inflorescences of these herbs lasts almost until the end of September. The allergy in August is probably caused by the dusting of weeds - grass sorrel, plantain, nettle, quack. It is not satisfactory for the allergic time perspective diagnosis - so you can earlier resolve this doubt with the help of special skin tests.
Ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
Consultation Dr hab. Med. Andrzej Danysz
