The sun rises more often, the winter coats are hidden in the back of the closet and the trees begin to bloom. For most people, the onset of spring is a cause for celebration. However, pollen and flowers are now flying into the air again, causing hay fever and allergies in millions of people in Germany.
Burning eyes and constant sneezing restrict daily life and, in the worst cases, can lead to allergic asthma or other illnesses. How can you relieve or even get rid of symptoms? Here you will find all the tips that can help treat hay fever.
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Ready
If you know the days when a large amount of pollen is flying in the air, you can better prepare and prevent symptoms. The German Pollen Information Service provides daily and weekly forecasts of pollen levels in Germany.
Allergy sufferers can filter different trees. On the map of Germany, different areas are then colored green, yellow or red depending on the intensity of the pollution. You can also learn more about pollen concentration in Europe on the website.
Free pollen apps for smartphones can also help. There, sufferers can take an allergy self-test, find out their pollen count and be reminded of doctor visits to an allergist.
Disease prevention
If the pollen count is particularly high, infected people should stay indoors if possible and keep the bedroom window closed. To keep pollen out, you can also attach a pollen screen to the window.
If you want to enjoy the sun despite allergies, you can also prevent symptoms with a mask: A study from last year showed that FFP2 masks and medicated face masks protect against hay fever. In particular, the feeling of discomfort in the nose and the production of nasal secretions can be reduced.
Medications containing cromoglycic acid can also prevent hay fever symptoms. Funds should be taken regularly 14 days before the appearance of the first symptoms.
fight symptoms
If your eyes itch or your throat is sore, medications can relieve symptoms temporarily. Antihistamines are usually recommended to prevent allergic reactions caused by the neurotransmitter histamine. The active ingredient can be taken as a spray, drops, or as tablets. However, the drug can make you very tired. Most medicines can be bought at pharmacies without a prescription.
Nasal sprays containing cortisone can also stop allergic inflammation. People with a confirmed allergy to pollen can get the preparation from pharmacies without a prescription. In addition, rinsing the nose with a saline solution can help relieve symptoms.
Get rid of complaints in the long run
Anyone allergic to pollen or flowers overreacts to a substance that is actually harmless. This is not usually dangerous, but bronchitis or allergic asthma can develop from a runny nose and sneezing. If you’re experiencing your symptoms too much, you can treat the cause with immunotherapy. In what is called hypoallergenicity, the immune system slowly gets used to the allergen. The costs of treatment are covered by the health insurance company.
Once the allergen has been identified, there are two approaches to such sensitization.
- In subcutaneous immunotherapy, the allergens are administered using injections. Patients have to go to the doctor weekly and later monthly over a longer period of time.
- During sublingual immunotherapy, sufferers take the allergen at home in the form of drops and tablets. This requires fewer visits to the doctor, but eating regularly is very important.
Immunotherapy helps many sufferers: Studies have shown that symptoms either disappear completely or reduce significantly. However, it usually takes two to three years for treatment to show its full effect.
Alternatively, there is also the possibility of short-term outreach. A total of four injections are given just before the hay fever season, and a visit to the doctor is not required for the rest of the year.