Hay fever Now the birch pollen is flying

Hay fever: Now the birch pollen is flying again

29.03.2012

A constant runny nose, watery eyes and headaches are the typical symptoms of hay fever. Meteorologists have this year no good news for allergy sufferers, because the birch pollen pollution is particularly high this year. According to the measurements, the pollen will fly earlier this year than usual. Allergy sufferers despite hayfever well through spring and summer, experts explain.

Birch pollen only fly harder every two years
The symptoms of hay fever can even lead to asthma attack. Therefore, allergy sufferers should now be particularly mindful, because the birch pollen season has already begun. Based on measurements, meteorologists from the Free University (FU) Berlin found that birch pollen had started very early this year. Only once were the pollen even earlier - in 1990, as the FU announced. Last weekend, 50 pollen per cubic meter of air were measured, report the meteorologists. This is a value that is usually measured only in early April. Birches in northern and central Germany would normally release their pollen every two years. Therefore, a particularly high pollen load is expected this year. Pulmonary specialists and allergists therefore recommend hyposensitization. In addition, sufferers should stock up in good time with antiallergic drugs, explains Karl-Christian Bergmann from the Allergy Center of the Charité in Berlin. In mid-March, he had already treated patients with severe symptoms this year. Hay fever patients who also suffer from a dry cough, the expert advises urgently to his doctor visit, as this may be a first indication of allergic asthma.

According to the German Allergy and Asthma Association (DAAB), birch pollen is one of the most common causes of allergies with the typical symptoms of eye tears, sneezing and flowing cold.

Expected strong birch pollen at Easter
Karl-Christian Bergmann is a member of the board of the German Pollen Information Service (PID). He suspects a strong birch pollen flight over the Easter days. The PID currently measures heavy pollen pollution in the birch, especially in western and south-western Germany.

Experts advise birch pollen allergy sufferers, among other things, a hyposensitization. On the one hand, immunotherapy should alleviate the symptoms and on the other hand prevent allergic asthma, reports the DAAB. For this it is necessary that patients take medication daily. A therapy with syringes is possible. „For birch pollen allergies, hyposensitization undoubtedly helps“, Bergmann explains. In the case of mites, however, this therapy is not necessarily suitable, since a positive skin test is not a clear indication for a house dust mite allergy.

About 23 to 25 percent of Germans suffer from hay fever
The Doctors Association of German Allergologists (ÄDA) estimates that about 23 to 25 percent of Germans are plagued by hay fever. If the allergic rhinitis is not treated, it leads to allergic asthma in one third of those affected, warns the PID.

The PID uses a network of 50 flight traps for its measurements. The locally very different data are forwarded to the German Weather Service, which determines a pollen forecast. Allergy sufferers can inform themselves on the website of the German Weather Service and thus arm themselves against the hay fever. While the pollen used to be seasonal only from March to October, the pollen count is now almost throughout the year. The PID identified a trend towards a longer overall pollen count. In the evaluation of plant flowering phases from 2000 to 2007, the experts found that the flowering time of early flowering plants such as trees starts earlier due to global warming. According to PID data, pollen production takes longer for herbs that belong to the late flowering plants. The hayfever free time is shortened for those affected. As a rule, the pollen of the hazel first fly, followed by alder and birch pollen.

Everyday tips against pollen allergy
Against sneezing attacks and eye itching, sufferers can protect themselves at least a little in everyday life. Among other things, the DAAB advises pollen allergy sufferers to wash their hair before bed and not to take off their clothes in the bedroom. The car should be kept as clean as possible to avoid sneezing while driving. Because at the wheel, this can lead to dangerous situations on the road, reports Sonja Lämmel from DAAB. In addition, she recommends regular cleaning of the car from outside and inside. The floor mats and seats should be sucked off, according to expert. The pollen filter in the vehicle ventilation can be renewed at least once a year. Sunroof and windows keep those affected best closed during pollen flight.

Pollen allergy should be careful with pome and stone fruit because of possible cross-allergies. The European Foundation for Allergy Research (ECARF) in Berlin advises to only consume the appropriate amount of heated fruit, as this destroys the heat-sensitive allergens. Cross-allergies occur because the allergens in the fruit are very similar in structure to those of birch pollen. The immune system can not tell the difference and would react with the typical symptoms such as tingling and swelling in the mouth and throat area. In severe cases, even life-threatening situations could result from respiratory distress.

Help with allergies from naturopathy
In natural medicine, the pollen allergy is generally considered not as a problem of the nose, but the entire human organism. This is why many therapeutic concepts in natural medicine are holistically oriented. The overreaction of the immune system to an actually harmless external stimulus should be attributed to the healthy immunological regulatory capacity of the body. In addition to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which also includes acupuncture, homeopathy and therapy with nutrients can provide relief. In addition, many naturopaths offer the self-blood therapy, hypnosis, Bach flower treatment and colon cleansing in pollen allergies.

The self-blood therapy should be carried out already in winter. Blood that was previously taken from the patient is either left unaltered, potentiated, mixed with oxygen or medication and possibly re-injected with UV light. By a local inflammation in this case an infection is to be caused, which has different reactions of the immune system. It should be a „vegetative total changeover“ of the organism lead to healing.

In therapeutic hypnosis, the immune reaction should also be favorably influenced. On the one hand, this is due to the non-specific effect on the immune system due to the hypnotic state of relaxation. On the other hand, allergies as intolerances often have psychogenic aspects that can be uncovered or symbolically altered by hypnosis.

In Bach Flower Therapy, allergy is considered to be a mental or mental intolerance of the person expressed by the body. The hypersensitivity arises from the fact that the underlying conflict or the problem is externally projected onto harmless triggers. Flower essences such as Beech, Crab apple and Impatiens are often used in pollen allergies.

Non-medical practitioners often carry out a laboratory examination with allergic people followed by intestinal rehabilitation with its intestinal flora, which is important for defense functions. For the therapy, microbiological drugs and a special diet are combined. This should mobilize your own self-healing powers. (Ag)

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Picture: Günther Richter