Autumn and winter are actually a pleasant time for pollen allergy sufferers. Nature’s heyday is over and there is hardly any pollen left in the air, which causes annoying symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny noses and sneezing fits. Nevertheless, various pollens can still be found in autumn, but those affected can do something.
Grasses, mugwort or ragweed (ragweed) feel comfortable even in slightly cooler temperatures and can cause symptoms. The Regensburg medical network provides information about various treatment options for allergy sufferers.
Ambrosia pollen is harmful to allergy sufferers
The Federal Environment Agency has found that ragweed, which comes from North America, is spreading more and more in Germany. The plant is not just an annoying weed. Even small amounts of their pollen can trigger allergic reactions such as hay fever, conjunctival irritation and allergic asthma. For those who have already struggled with pollen allergies, ragweed can cause even more problems because of its long flowering period from July to October. But mold spores can also be a trigger for autumn hay fever in the cooler season. Their concentration in the outside air is highest in summer and autumn.
Specific immunotherapy begins in early autumn
With hyposensitization, those affected can significantly reduce their allergic reactions and symptoms over time. With specific immunotherapy – SIT for short – the body slowly gets used to an allergy trigger, such as pollen, until it tolerates the allergen. The respective allergen extract is injected several times into the upper arm. The dosage increases in each case up to the maximum tolerated maximum dose. The maximum dose is then injected at longer intervals for three years. Anyone who begins therapy in early autumn can increase the chance of relief from symptoms during the first subsequent pollen season.
The risk of asthma and other allergies decreases with SIT
Specialists in immunology rate the therapeutic success of SIT as good. In most cases, the symptoms could be significantly reduced and lasted for many years. In addition, the risk of developing bronchial asthma or developing another allergy (to additional allergens) is reduced. According to studies, desensitization can alleviate the symptoms of a pollen allergy by 75 to 80 percent and significantly reduce medication consumption.
Have a diagnosis made by a specialist
Almost one in four Germans suffers from hay fever in the course of their life. If you are unsure whether you have an allergy or what caused an allergic reaction, you can have it checked by a specialist. The allergist uses skin and blood tests to check which substances, for example which type of pollen, trigger the allergic reaction. According to this individual profile, the therapy solution with allergens is put together, which is then regularly injected into the upper arm under medical supervision.
Regensburger Ärztenetz eV / RNRed