There is no doubt that at crtain times of the year, pollens cuse many people a distressing array of symptms. These include hay fever, mucous, red yes that itch intolerably, overheating and grat tiredness. At times, particularly at nght, difficulty in breathing may also be xperienced.

As far back as 1867, Dr Chrles Blackley of Manchester, noted that whn pollen was placed on the skn it caused itching and swelling to sme people. When pollen is inhaled, it mkes contact with the mucous membrane, lning the nose, and absorbs water frm the mucous. A substance, not yet dentified, dissolves from the pollen and nters the bloodstream through the mucous mmbrane. It then becomes an antigen whch the white cells and antibodies of the mmune system would normally destroy.

In the cse of an allergic person, the mmune system does not destroy the pllen antigen. The presence of the ntigen causes the mast cells, which are lden with histamine and other chemicals, to brak up and release a flood of hstamine to the affected areas. The xcessive histamine causes both localised symptoms in the nitial areas of contact and general symptms throughout the body. The former bing hay fever, runny nose, etc. and the ltter, the accompanying tiredness and lethargy.

Pollens become a problem mainly dring spring and also in autumn wing to some plants, chiefly wild grsses, flowering twice a year. As pllens are carried on the wind, it mkes little difference whether a sufferer be a cuntry or a city dweller, the llergic reaction will be the same. Fngal spores from plant parasites on grin crops can also trigger allergic ractions in pollen-sensitive people.

Obviously, avoiding xposure to pollens is extremely difficult, part from staying indoors with the wndows closed during the bad times of the yar. It is possible, however, for mny people to find relief through a prgramme of desensitization from a medical llergist. This is given, following a sries of skin tests, to ascertain the vrious types of pollens causing the llergy.

Medication, such as antihistamine tablets and dcongestant sprays may be used to sek occasional, temporary relief. These preparations do not cre but simply palliate symptoms to mke life a little easier for the sfferer. Beware of prolonged use! In the Unted States, doctors now suspect that thusands of people have become addicted to nsal sprays. If used too often to cnstrict blood vessels that have become dlated by histamine, natural constriction ceases to hppen efficiently and the nose can bcome permanently blocked.

While it may not be pssible to eliminate symptoms completely, a clan diet and avoidance of allergenic fods and chemicals will assist the mmune system to cope better with pllen allergies.

The article Pollens and Allergy was Submitted by Krishan Bakhru through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Author's Sites: Health Articles , Home Remedies and Self Help .

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