Hay fever or spring catarrh - seasonal allergic disease caused by immediate type allergic reaction and is characterized by a sharp violation of nasal breathing. The most common clinical manifestations of hay fever - allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis and asthma. Hay fever causes pollen wind-pollinated plants. Spring pollen causes hay fever trees and shrubs: birch, alder, hazel, maple, oak, sycamore. Summer pollinosis pollen causes grasses: timothy, fescue, ryegrass, fire, reed grass, Kentucky bluegrass. Autumn hay fever caused by pollen of weeds: pigweed, ragweed and wormwood.

Reasons for hay fever

Pollinosis as asthma is an allergic disease affecting the upper airways. The first contact pollen (through the nasal mucosa) into the blood sensitization occurs, which leads to the production of antibodies Antibodies - "soldiers' immunity . Later, when pollen gets into the body more than the required number of antibodies, and releases the chemical called "histamine". This process is the cause of an allergic reaction, that is hay fever symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, and even cough.

Hay fever considered genetically caused disease - some people are born with a predisposition to allergies, as they have immunological disorders, but that does not mean that the disease is inevitable for them. Statistically, the chance of developing hay fever in a child is 30-60%, if the hay fever suffers from one parent, and 50 - 70% if both parents are prone to allergies. Hay fever - one of the most common allergic diseases, it is subject to 20% of the world's population.

Symptoms of hay fever

In most cases it is not difficult to recognize the symptoms of pollen allergy, though they are similar to the symptoms of the common cold. Symptoms of hay fever include:

• runny nose;
• cough;
• sneezing;
• nasal congestion;
• difficulty breathing;
• redness and itchy eyes (conjunctivitis);
• watery eyes;
• headache;
• a sore throat;
• sleep disturbance Dreams: how to understand our dreams .

If hay fever characterized by complaints of itching in the nose, burning sensation, tickling, itching in the ears, the throat, the trachea. The skin of the vestibule of the nose is red and inflamed. Eye disease include itching and irritation, itching and redness of the eyelids, swelling, feeling cramps, photophobia, a feeling of "sand" in the eyes.

One of the most severe clinical manifestations of hay fever is asthma manifested cough, wheezing, weight in the chest and shortness of breath, which is usually reversible.

Diagnosis of hay fever

For the diagnosis of hay fever, it is important to remember exactly when the symptoms come and go. This information will give the doctor and allergist cluck to understanding the origin of symptoms and facilitate diagnosis.

Information about the place of residence and work, about when the symptoms are exacerbated (for hay fever symptoms of the disease are saved the whole period of flowering plants (1, 5-2 months) will help your doctor or allergist to identify the possible causes of allergies. To confirm the diagnosis and determine the specific allergen is carried skarifikatsionnye skin tests - on the damaged (scratched) applied to the skin allergens, followed by assessment of the changes. If you have a positive reaction around the crack will develop blister and redness of the skin. The appearance of the rash will determine pollen of exactly the plant you are allergic. Most allergy testing virtually painless.

Hay fever should be differentiated from the following diseases:

• vasomotor rhinitis: under the influence of increased blood flow to the soft tissues of the nose swell, causing nasal congestion and a runny nose, but do not itch. The exact cause of vasomotor rhinitis is unknown (in people suffering from vasomotor rhinitis Vasomotor rhinitis - when the nose is constantly incorporated Not identified allergies), although smoke, dry air, sudden changes in temperature (for example, if it enters into a warm room) and some odors can cause symptoms of the disease;
• chronic rhinitis: may be a symptom of prolonged cold or other illness, such as low thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones .

Most allergic diseases appear almost immediately after birth and pursue a person throughout life. The number of such allergies is steadily increasing, so the great demand for drugs for the treatment of allergic diseases. One of these drugs is elidel.

What is atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis - a chronic skin disease of allergic nature, arising out of atopy - the hereditary characteristics of the structure of the immune system The immune system - how it works? As a result of which the body responds to the increased reaction some conventional external influences. When atopy may appear allergic to many types of allergens: food, dust, medicines, bacterial, viral, and so on. Atopic dermatitis may eventually move in other allergic diseases (such as asthma), or combined with them.

The mechanism of action of Elidel

Elidel (international non-proprietary name - pimecrolimus) - is an anti-inflammatory drug that acts primarily on the skin and comes in the form of a 1% cream. Elidel selectively inhibits the formation and release of substances from the tissues, which are the main mediators (intermediaries) inflammatory reaction. Thus it little absorbed into the blood, impacting directly on the skin and almost without causing systemic effects on the immune system. Under its influence reduced skin inflammation and itching in atopic dermatitis.

During clinical studies it was found that elidel not less effective than corticosteroids reduces all symptoms of atopic dermatitis. With prolonged use throughout the year it reduces the incidence of flare-ups of the disease without causing atrophy (shrinkage), and increasing the sensitivity of stimulation (including to sunlight) of the skin.

Indications and contraindications for the use of Elidel

Elidel is used for short-term or long-term intermittent treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in adults and children from three months:

• if they have no immune system disorders;
• when applying conventional treatments for any reason undesirably;
• If conventional methods of treatment of atopic dermatitis does not have the desired effect.

Contraindications to the use of Elidel are:

• Children up to age 3 months (clinical studies with children in this age group is not carried out);
• acute bacterial, viral or fungal infections of the skin;
• defeat all the skin with its redness (erythroderma);
• immunity disorders (clinical trials these patients were not carried out);
• skin cancers;
• individual intolerance of components;
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding Breastfeeding - a personal choice   breast - clinical research with these groups of patients have not been conducted;
• drinking alcohol during treatment.

Side effects that may occur during treatment with Elidel

If you are using Elidel may experience the following side effects:

• minor transient reactions at the site of application, such as a feeling of warmth or burning;
• Local reactions: dryness, irritation, scaling, itching, and redness of the skin;
• skin infection due to the reduction of local immunity (folliculitis - purulent inflammation of the hair follicle, herpes simplex Herpes simplex - in fact, not so simple , Molluscum contagiosum, fungal skin lesions, etc.);
• very rarely - the development of malignancies (eg, skin cancer), but the relationship between the occurrence of tumors and the use of the drug is not scientifically confirmed;
• Allergic reactions: rash (including rash), angioedema Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause Very rarely - anaphylactic shock;
• rarely - skin color changes (increase or decrease in pigmentation at the site of an ointment).

Elidel overdose were observed.

How to apply Elidel cream

Elidel cream twice a day, put a thin layer on the skin surface of the skin (to any area of ​​the body) and gently rub until completely absorbed. Treatment continued until complete disappearance of the disease. Re-start treatment at the first signs of the disease. Since elidel hardly absorbed into the blood, its daily dose, duration of use and the area of ​​skin to which the cream is applied are not limited.

It is not recommended to apply the cream dressing and apply the cream with the skin lesions of any infection (bacterial, viral or fungal). During treatment, patients should avoid alcohol and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, as this increases the possibility of the formation of malignant tumors. Elidel should not be used in conjunction with other local media, as research on drug compatibility were carried out.

Elidel cream is manufactured pharmaceutical company Novartis Pharma (Switzerland), it must be used within three months of opening the package.

Galina Romanenko