Alarm signal: why you shouldn’t postpone the visit to the allergist

In Moscow, as in any modern metropolis of the planet, a significant number of residents suffer from allergies. However, according to statistics, more than half of the capital’s allergy sufferers are in no hurry to visit a specialized doctor, postponing it for years. Inaction or self-medication can lead to the fact that over time the spectrum of allergens will only expand, which is why the disease, as a rule, takes on a more severe course, doctors warn. Details – in the material “Izvestia”.

Muscovites are in no hurry to see an allergist

More than 50% of Moscow residents suffering from allergies postpone visiting a specialized doctor for three years or more. Elena Bobrikova, an allergist-immunologist of the highest qualification category, head of the consultative and diagnostic department of the Moscow City Scientific and Practical Center for Allergology and Immunology at City Clinical Hospital No. 52, informed about this the other day.

– If symptoms of allergy appear, it is necessary to urgently contact an allergist-immunologist or therapist, and then follow all their recommendations, – emphasized Bobrikova.

With an established diagnosis of an allergic disease, you need to try as much as possible to isolate yourself from the allergen. You should also follow a hypoallergenic diet, and in case of cross-allergies (for example, to fruits, honey and nuts), be sure to exclude all these foods from the diet. It is possible to reduce the manifestations of allergies with the help of medications, but they can only be taken after being prescribed by a doctor.

I drank a pill and forgot

The fact that sometimes people are in no hurry to seek medical help is largely due to the availability of allergy drugs, which are now sold in every pharmacy, explains allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok.

“Most of these drugs are sold over the counter, and pharmacists in pharmacies offer a choice from the most expensive to the cheapest. Therefore, people have the opinion that it is not so difficult: I drank a pill – and that’s it, I was cured. And it is clear that until serious complications begin or the disease acquires a severe chronic course and does not interfere with normal life, they do not go to the doctor.

The second aspect is planning professional assistance, continues the interlocutor of Izvestia.

– Acute allergic reaction requires a fairly quick response. The patient should get to the doctor as soon as possible, and it is difficult to get to the allergist not only day after day, but even the next week. And by this point, the person has passed everything (for example, urticaria may disappear in a few minutes). Here I always advise you to take a photo, especially if it is hives, some kind of rashes on the skin, swelling on the face, so that later you must show the doctor…

Deceptive self-diagnosis

Self-diagnosis in determining the source of allergies is often erroneous, warns Vladimir Bolibok.

– Of course, sometimes a person clearly understands what he is allergic to. For example, there was contact with animals, most often with cats, after which a person begins to sneeze, cough, and the skin itches. Contact ended – and everything went away. Everyone can figure it out on their own. The situation is worse with food allergies: people cannot understand what exactly. Especially when it comes to a small child – parents often come with a complaint that everything is allergic. It can be difficult to establish a causal allergen, and in general, the skin rash itself is not always caused by an allergy.

Allergy is a consequence of a violation of immunity, and if this violation is not eliminated, then the spectrum of allergens will expand, due to which the disease, as a rule, takes on a more severe course, emphasizes the immunologist-allergist Nadezhda Loginina.

– There is such a concept as an atopic march – this is a certain path that atopy makes from minimal clinical manifestations (damage to the skin or individual mucous membranes, for example, eyes) to serious diseases such as bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, urticaria. Lack of timeliness of treatment leads to the fact that the atopic march progresses rapidly, – explains the head of the department of faculty pediatrics of the Astrakhan State Medical University, allergist and immunologist Olga Bashkina.

According to the specialist, some really prefer to diagnose themselves using the Internet, but this is not the most correct way. “Let’s say that many people understand that they are allergic to a certain food product, because after they have consumed it, a certain reaction has appeared. But “after that” does not always mean “because of that.” And in the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships, of course, the main role is still assigned to the specialist, ”she notes.

Contact a specialist faster

The universal advice in case of any allergic reactions is to find a good allergist, says Olga Bashkina.

– And it is not always necessary to conduct additional research, or they will be needed on a sighting basis. Moreover, an allergist-immunologist is able to assess whether this is a true allergic disease or pseudo-allergy. It happens that in people it appears outwardly as an allergic reaction, and this turns out to be persistent infections or chronic diseases from the gastrointestinal tract.

If a person suspects some causally important allergen for himself, first of all, it is worth reducing contact with it, said Oksana Kurbacheva, doctor of medical sciences, head of the bronchial asthma department of the Institute of Immunology of the FMBA of Russia, in a conversation with Izvestia. “This is possible when it comes to food, for example, but when it comes to respiratory allergens, unfortunately, this contact is almost impossible to avoid. And in the future, only a doctor should recommend medicines. Do not forget that general practitioners and therapists also have the right to treat patients with allergic diseases. This is important to know, especially when it comes to emergency assistance.“, – emphasizes the specialist.

Hot season

In April, in many regions of Russia, a surge of hay fever begins – a disease caused by an allergic reaction to plant pollen. Recommendations on how best to move this time were previously given by Rospotrebnadzor specialists.

– Be sure to see your doctor if you suspect a plant pollen allergy. An allergist-immunologist will conduct an examination, identify allergens that cause a reaction, prescribe medications and give recommendations on organizing everyday life. Upon returning from the street, be sure to take a shower, wash your hair and change your clothes; rinse your mouth, eyes and nose with saline, experts advise.

Rospotrebnadzor also recommends monitoring the concentration of pollen in the air using special mobile applications or on the Internet. In addition, the department advises to be less outside, close the windows in the house, and carry out wet cleaning every day. During the flowering period, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of stone fruits, nuts, herbs, honey, not to be treated with herbs and not to use cosmetics with natural herbal ingredients.