In order that therapy can be started in time, it is recommended to have an allergy test before the onset of unpleasant symptoms; in this way, the exact cause of the complaints that significantly affect the quality of life can be identified in time. Symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis can appear already in February, as the early allergy season in Hungary starts with hazelnut flowering.
Persistent watery nasal discharge, sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, and nasal congestion can also be caused by allergies, so if complaints last for two to three weeks, it is recommended to have an ear, nose, and throat examination as soon as possible, especially if symptoms already occurred at around the same time the previous year. The first step is to rule out the possibility of bacterial or viral infection, followed by a skin prick test. “This involves applying purified allergens to the skin of the forearm and scratching them with a thin needle. If after 15-20 minutes a nettle-like rash appears at the scratch site, surrounded by a red yard, this indicates a positive reaction to the allergen. This can be compared with the clinical symptoms to establish the fact of allergy,” Dr. Helga Kraxner points out.
The Assistant Professor at Semmelweis University’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery stresses that in certain conditions – severe symptoms, asthmatic complaints, when taking certain medications, and during pregnancy – the skin test must not be performed, or the results will not be measurable. In such cases, blood tests can be taken to determine the presence of allergens.
Medication for allergic patients should be started a week or two before the expected season. Continued use of symptomatic medication is the most effective way of dulling the symptoms, which, in addition to what has been mentioned above, may be accompanied by itching in the ears or throat; and, unlike sinusitis, they are not associated with pain, loss of smell, or facial swelling. Antihistamines (tablets, nasal sprays, and eye drops) and topical steroid nasal sprays are the basis of therapy, the latter locally inhibiting the inflammation. It is also worth using a saline nasal wash to remove irritants and pollen from the nasal mucosa, Dr. Helga Kraxner suggests.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy can help in the causal treatment of allergies, but it can only be used in cooperation between the doctor and the patient, under close supervision, for at least three seasons, and improvement is gradual, the expert says.
In addition to effective therapy, lifestyle changes can also improve the condition of allergy sufferers: Frequent hair washing and changing of your clothes and bed linen, as well as the use of air purifiers and pollen-filtering mosquito nets can help alleviate symptoms.
Eszter Csatári-Földváry
Translation: Dr. Balázs Csizmadia
Photos by Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
