“There’s a point in late January where you don’t know if you’re dealing with the flu, COVID, another virus, or allergies,” Ana Carmen Gil, a family physician and member of SEMERGEN’s respiratory working group, said in the conversation. with ABC. Doctors confirm that respiratory illnesses typical of winter coexist with allergies that usually develop later in this season. “Last month the weather got better and warmer and the flowers started blooming. We had cypress plants (cypress and arizona) a month in advance», he noted.
Although allergies can be confused with other respiratory illnesses because Share some symptomsand there are others for screening: when itching of the nose and eyes occurs at a specific time and is exposed to allergens at the same time; if there is no fever, the mucus is clear and liquid, and the condition does not improve within a week, it is most likely an allergy.
If allergies were a rare phenomenon a few decades ago, now they are quite common in consultations. More and more people are becoming sensitive. 25-30% of people are allergic to something It is expected that there will be varying degrees of 50% in 2050. There are several explanations for this growth. Dr. Ana Carmen-Gill noted that plants now produce more aggressive pollen because much of it is destroyed by pollution. also, Diesel particles lead to greater exposure of bronchial mucosa Pollen adheres more easily, making patients more sensitive.
At the beginning of this year, “because it didn’t rain and the temperature was high, Pollen stays in the air longer Dr. Sergio José Quevedo Teruel, pediatric allergist and member of the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Pediatric Asthma (Seicap), said:
Typical March temperatures in January boosted plant pollination in Arizona, “with very high peaks in Madrid, Cordoba and Seville, cities with important representation.” That kind of pollen is very elegantexplains Dr. Juan José Zapata, Chairman of the Clinical Aerobiology Committee of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC).
For allergy sufferers, calm days are becoming increasingly rare. If we were with Paco now, From March to April, shade plantains begin to pollinateIt is another species that is very likely to cause allergies in big cities. “It’s already raining in some places now, and if it starts to clear up, it can trigger allergies. Some people have noticed shade plantains this week,” warns Dr. Anna Carmen Gill.
Spring to autumn is grass season (Trichosanthes, duckweed and many other weeds that grow on roads, farmland, open fields, meadow edges) are the most important causes of pollinosis in central and northern Spain.
May and June are olive tree season. In southern Spain, in areas such as Jaén, Córdoba or Granada, where the tree is widely planted, its pollen is more of a cause of pollinosis than grass.
inside mediterranean coastthe one that causes the most problems is ghettoA weed that causes allergies almost year-round (March to October), but mostly in the spring. «Previously, allergy season was very localized: it started in March and ended in June. Now instead of starting medication in March, some people start taking medication in January. If you have fungal and mite problems, you are treated year-round,” the GP said.
new and upcoming
Allergies appear at any age.They can start as adults because The more exposure to allergens, the greater the risk. Additionally, there is now an increased supply of pollen, coupled with pollution, prompting people to become sensitized. This is the case with Arizona or shade plantain. They are non-existent allergies, but when cities start to fill up with this plant, which grows well and requires little maintenance, allergies to its pollen spike.
“If we are in the same place and a particular species blooms in large numbers, repeated exposure over a long period of time can produce an allergic process,” said María Teresa Coiras, a professor in the field of health sciences at the European University.
It is not uncommon for environmental allergens to be present during more months of the year due to different pollination seasons Those who are already allergic to one pollen can become allergic to others new.
«In desert areas, e.g. Almeria, Murcia and Zaragozathis Amaranthaceae It is placed in the important sensitivity profile. This is the second cause of allergies in Almeria, the pollination situation in late summer is very serious,” warns Dr. Juan José Zapata.
Our cities are expected to increase their catalogs of plants and thus of new awareness, which is not important now but may take center stage over time. “We are watching the progress of small numbers of pollens to stay ahead of the curve,” Dr Zapata said.
You should never underestimate allergies because they evolve. It may only affect the nose the first year, the throat the second year, and the chest the next year. «It is recommended that you know what you are allergic to and follow your doctor’s treatment plan to avoid allergic symptoms severe asthma», recommend Dr. SEMERGEN.
Dr. Quevedo remembers that it is important to maintain prescribed preventive treatment because allergies can still be present even in the absence of symptoms. “During the epidemic, after wearing masks and reducing going out, symptoms reduced, and some patients thought they had recovered. But when they returned to the streets, the symptoms reappeared.” Allergies cannot be cured, only the symptoms can be treated. “The only treatment that alters the pathological process is immunotherapy, the ‘allergy vaccine,’ which is required in some patients,” explains the pediatric allergist.
Maintenance treatment is critical, Dr. Zapata warns, because “once the mucosa becomes inflamed, it’s more difficult to suppress the inflammation.”
how to protect ourselves
The ideal situation is to get a good diagnosis for scheduled treatment, know what to avoid, and check daily pollen levels. Dr. Zapata also recommends “ventilating air at noon and not leaving sheets outside to dry as they can collect pollen; use FFP2 masks, change air conditioning filters and shower when coming from areas with high pollen exposure.” “
spring forecast
Pollen levels during the best times of year for allergies depend on weather conditions in the preceding weeks.High temperatures in winter can cause Early pollination Olive trees and grass. But if there is less rain, there will be fewer plants. What happens in the next two months will be decisive.