World Allergy Day - Make allergic diseases no longer "difficult"

Author: Li Jiecheng Peking University People's Hospital

Reviewer: Li Wenhai, Chief Physician, Peking University People's Hospital

Allergy has been listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the three major diseases that need to be prevented and treated in the 21st century.

July 8th of every year is World Allergy Day, which aims to prevent allergic reactions and allergic diseases by enhancing public awareness of allergic diseases.

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1. What are allergic diseases?

Allergic diseases, also known as allergic diseases, are caused by the patient's high sensitivity, which produces a specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the blood against a certain allergen. IgE sensitivity can lead to the following typical allergic diseases: asthma, rhinitis, allergic eczema, conjunctivitis, food allergy, drug allergy and anaphylactic shock, etc. The most common of these are allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma caused by allergic factors such as pollen, dust mites, fungi and pets.

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2. What are the dangers of allergic diseases?

Allergic diseases can affect multiple systems throughout the body. For example, allergic rhinitis affects the nose, eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, heart, etc., causing damage to multiple systems and organs of the human body. After contact with allergens, patients can rapidly develop from mild skin symptoms to angioedema, decreased blood pressure, arrhythmia, loss of consciousness, shock, and even death within a few minutes.

3. What are the allergens around you?

1. Inhaled allergens, including pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander, etc.

2. Food allergens, such as milk, eggs, grains, beef, mutton, seafood, nuts, etc.

3. Contact allergens, including various cosmetics, hair dyes, organic solvents, etc.

4. Drug allergens, such as injectable penicillin, streptomycin, xenobiotic serum, etc.

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4. What allergy symptoms should you be alert to?

1. If you are allergic to dust or pollen in the air, it often causes symptoms in the eyes, nose, and lungs, including redness, itching, runny nose, coughing, and even asthma attacks.

2. If it is a food allergy, it may cause digestive system symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc.

3. As the body's barrier organ, the skin is most susceptible to allergens from the outside world. Therefore, skin manifestations are relatively the most common symptoms when allergic, mainly including skin itching, erythema, papules, wheals, edema, etc.

4. Severe allergic reactions may even be life-threatening, such as laryngeal edema, difficulty breathing, and anaphylactic shock.

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5. Who is prone to allergies?

1. The occurrence of allergies has a certain familial nature. If parents suffer from allergic diseases, their children are more likely to suffer from allergic diseases.

2. There are great differences in the incidence of allergic diseases between different countries and regions. The higher the degree of industrialization and the better the environmental sanitation, the higher the incidence of allergic diseases.

3. People who are under chronic stress for a long time will have a correspondingly increased probability of developing allergic diseases.

4. Patients who are already in an allergic state have a hypersensitive immune response in their body and may also become allergic to other substances that they are not allergic to.

6. How to prevent allergic diseases?

1. Avoid contact with allergens

Knowing your allergens is the first step to prevent allergic diseases. Once the allergens are identified, you should try to avoid contact. For example, if you are allergic to dust mites, you should keep the room clean and dry, wash bedding regularly, etc.

2. Maintain personal hygiene

Keep your skin clean, take a bath and change clothes frequently, use mild toiletries, and avoid using irritating chemicals; clean your living and working environment regularly to reduce the growth of allergens such as dust mites and mold.

3. Enhance Immunity

Maintain a balanced diet with adequate intake of vitamins, minerals and proteins to enhance the body's immunity. Regular exercise and adequate sleep can help improve immunity.

4. Maintain a positive attitude

Avoid being in a state of depression, anxiety or tension for a long time, as these emotions may cause endocrine disorders and immune dysfunction, thereby inducing or aggravating allergic diseases. Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude and actively respond to the pressure and challenges in life.

5. Prevention during special periods

During high-incidence seasons of allergies, such as the peak season of pollen allergies in spring, special attention should be paid to avoid contact with allergens and take additional precautions, such as wearing masks and reducing outdoor activities.

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