Birch attack: it's a difficult time for allergy sufferers in Central Russia
Birch began to bloom in eleven Russian regions, Izvestia found out. The peak of this process was recorded, for example, in Moscow and the Moscow region. In at least ten more regions, the tree will begin to "dust" in the next two weeks. Doctors recommended that allergy sufferers not ventilate the premises at this time and avoid walking. About where flowering is expected and how allergy sufferers can protect themselves, see the Izvestia article.
Where the birch tree bloomed
Birch blossoms have begun in the central part of Russia in some regions, according to the Pollen Club analytical service. For example, active tree dusting has been recorded in Moscow, the Moscow region, the Crimea, the Samara, Saratov, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol regions, as well as in Bashkiria, Tatarstan and the Altai Republic.
Concentrations of pollen allergens in the air are minimal so far, but they may well cause a reaction in the most sensitive people, experts of the service point out.
The birch began to bloom actively with the onset of warm weather, Tatyana Pozdnyakova, a leading specialist at the Meteonovosti news agency, told Izvestia.
"Previously, tree pollen was recorded in the capital, but in small quantities," the expert noted. — She was brought to Moscow from the southern regions or from Europe. Despite the fact that it will get colder in the capital next week, the soil will warm up enough for the tree to continue to bloom.
Active birch "dusting" is also observed in Tula, Kaluga and Vladimir, said Maxim Korshunov, an allergist and immunologist at the Alexandrovsky Medical Center. Birch will bloom in Astrakhan, Kurgan, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Bryansk, Ulyanovsk, Vologda regions, as well as in St. Petersburg, Chuvashia and Krasnodar Krai in the coming weeks.
But the flowering is not limited to one birch tree, Maxim Korshunov pointed out.
"In different regions of Russia, alder and hazel trees are already finishing flowering, and their residual pollen remains in the air and can complement the range of allergens," he added. — Willow is also actively blooming now, especially along rivers and in forest belts. The maple tree is already beginning to gather dust.
The flowering period of plants is becoming a real challenge for people prone to allergies, said Tatiana Sakharova, an allergist and immunologist at Invitro.
— At this time, a huge amount of pollen enters the atmosphere. Including one of the most powerful natural allergens of birch," the doctor explained. — When sensitive people come into contact with it, they experience a variety of symptoms: nasal congestion, sneezing, itching and eye irritation, and in severe cases, asthma attacks.
A quarter of the Russian population has some kind of allergic disease, Natalia Ilyina, chief physician of the Institute of Immunology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, General Director of the Russian Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists, said during a press conference at the Izvestia News Center.
"The spectrum is changing, the incidence structure is changing," she said. — In some cases, there are more respiratory manifestations, in others there are manifestations of skin allergies. It depends on the region, on the climatic and geographical conditions.
According to her, a huge number of citizens have allergies, but they have not been diagnosed. And as noted by the expert doctor of the Hemotest laboratory, allergist Gulnara Memetova, allergies can lead to serious complications — anaphylaxis (acute allergic reaction), exacerbation of bronchial asthma.
How can an allergic person survive the flowering period
Pollinosis (allergy to flowering) is often hereditary, noted Tatiana Sakharova.
— But it is not the disease itself that is inherited, but the body's tendency to excessive immune reactions to ordinary substances from the environment, — the expert explained.
Most often, the first symptoms of pollinosis appear in children of preschool and school age, but the disease can also occur in infants and the elderly, noted Tatiana Sakharova.
One of the key ways to prevent hay fever is allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT), which is carried out in the form of subcutaneous injections or using drops or tablets, the doctor reminded.
— But for a tangible effect, therapy must be carried out before the beginning of the flowering season and several courses over 3-5 years, — the expert emphasized.
In this case, according to the expert, when the period of mass "dusting" begins, a person is faced with much fewer manifestations of allergies. And sometimes he does not experience unpleasant symptoms at all, which significantly improves the quality of life.
Maxim Korshunov reminded that if an allergic person has not taken an ASIT course, he needs to start taking antihistamines in advance — about 10-14 days before the expected exacerbation. According to him, such a preventive approach makes it possible to prepare the body and reduce the severity of reactions to pollen and other seasonal allergens.
"If a person knows that their symptoms usually worsen in March or April, they should start taking antihistamines as early as mid—March," he explained.
Svetlana Turbovskaya, an allergist at the European Medical Center, stressed that medications should be individually selected at a doctor's appointment and urged not to self-medicate.
In addition, allergy sufferers should close the windows for the entire flowering period and use air purifiers.
— You can also use wet gauze, which is hung on an open window. This way, pollen entry into the apartment will be minimal," she added.
Svetlana Turbovskaya urged allergy sufferers to carry out wet cleaning every day, and upon returning from the street, always take a shower and change their outdoor clothes for home ones. Maxim Korshunov recommended wearing sunglasses, masks, or nose filters during walks. But the expert stressed that at the peak of flowering, it is better for people with allergies to tree pollen to minimize outdoor activities.
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