Allergy to birch: symptoms, prevention, treatment

Birch is widely used by people in everyday life and industry: furniture and various crafts, toys for children, color and bark are used in medicine and pharmacology, juice is used for food. Unfortunately, there is an allergy to birch, both in children and adults.

Birch, along with yew and beech, is one of the most common causes of tree allergies. According to statistics, from 2 to 5% of the world's population suffers from wood allergy in general, of which less than 1% is birch. There is a table with a list of tree species that can cause allergies, birch allergens are classified as strong effects. What are the main risk factors?

First of all, it is an allergy to birch pollen during flowering in April-May. It manifests itself as rhinitis when it enters the respiratory tract, conjunctivitis. Contact with wood (usually furniture) can develop atopic dermatitis. In addition, when processing birch in workshops and workshops, it is possible to inhale wood dust and get it on the skin and eyes.

Also, birch wood often contains the fungus Cryptostroma corticale, which causes "marble rot" of wood, and is one of the most common causes of so-called "secondary allergies". In addition to them, two more types of fungi can grow in sawdust - Aspergillus alternaria and Aspergillus nigricant.

They, not being allergens to birch, nevertheless, are directly related to it and cause allergies. There is also cross-allergy with some stone fruits - apple, pear, peach, quince, etc.

Symptoms

• inhalation of pollen - cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, obstructive bronchitis may develop up to asthma, in severe cases - pulmonary edema;
• upon contact with the skin of birch allergens - the phenomenon of atopic dermatitis in children and adults, urticaria;

• in contact with the cornea - redness of the eyes, conjunctivitis;
• if allergens get inside (foods such as birch sap) - digestive disorders (constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, cramps, colic, etc.).

Prophylaxis

The best treatment is prevention. First, let's find out where the allergens can be:

• food products: birch sap, herbal preparations containing birch color;
• tar soap and tar-based products;
• birch furniture, sawdust wood, various souvenirs;
• medicines based on salicylic acid: salicylic ointment, salicylic acid solution, analgin known to all, aspirin and related drugs;
• the stone fruits mentioned above that may be cross-allergic.

When working in a workshop where furniture or other birch products are produced, you must not start work without protecting your eyes and skin with special equipment. For the eyes, these are protective goggles or a mask similar to a welder's mask, only made of plastic (these are still used by dentists). The surface of the body should be completely covered by clothing with long sleeves and legs. On feet - closed shoes, on hands - gloves, best of all latex. A respirator is used to protect the respiratory tract.

However, these safety guidelines apply to all workers, not just those who are allergic to birch. There should also be a first-aid kit with a set of medications necessary to relieve severe manifestations of allergies - an asthmatic attack, Quincke's edema, etc. Management should be alerted to employees with allergies.

In domestic conditions: if there is an allergy to birch flowering, then at this time it is advisable to avoid places where it grows, if you have to walk there, then cover open areas of the body as much as possible. Lenses should not be worn, this increases the manifestation of allergies. Furniture should be made of hypoallergenic materials, remember that old furniture was often made from Karelian birch.

Diet: do not eat birch sap if your child is allergic to birch, inform kindergarten or school, as they often give it to young children.

How to treat?

Although birch is not strictly a food product, a hypoallergenic diet is often prescribed to avoid the occurrence of allergic reactions to other foods, which can blur the clinical picture and complicate the diagnosis and, hence the treatment.

For this, various smoked meats and pickles containing various preservatives and spices are excluded, alcohol is limited (especially cognac with wine), citrus fruits, stone fruits, whole milk, chocolate, coffee, tea, canned food, especially pickled vegetables. If a mother is breastfeeding a child with allergies, a diet is compulsory for her.

The use of various cosmetics, perfumes, washing and detergents is also limited.

Treatment for eye contact with pollen and wood dust

• antihistamines: Allergodil 3-4 times a day;
• vasoconstrictor drops: Vizin, Octylia - no more than 4-6 days;
• some combination drugs: Spersallerg, Sanorin-Anallergin;
• cromoglycic acid preparations: KromoHeksal, Hi-Krom, lecrolin.
• Ketofen, Zaditen - one drop in each eye twice a day for 6 weeks. Do not use if there is eye redness;
• Diclofenac-based eye drops: Naklof, Diclofenac-Long;
• drops based on corticosteroids: Prenacid, Maxidex, Oftan-Dexamethasone;
• drops of cyclosporine, for children under 1 year old is undesirable;
• diet.

Treatment for allergic rhinitis

• under the guidance of a doctor, immunotherapy with allergens is carried out, which in small doses are injected under the skin;
• nasal drops, nasal sprays containing corticosteroids: nazonex, nazarel, aldecin;
• diet.

Treatment for symptoms of atopic dermatitis, urticaria, toxidermia

• corticosteroid-based ointment: 5% hydrocortisone ointment, dexamethasone ointment;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (not with salicylic acid, remember?);

• ointments with diphenhydramine, suprastin, diazolin;

• gentle washing in the shower, without using a washcloth;
• clothing, if possible, from natural fabrics;
• diet.

Conclusion

An allergy to birch in an adult or a child will not cause much trouble if you adhere to a few simple rules: diet when treatment is underway, eye protection during work, furniture not made of birch, but better not at all based on wood, because it is furniture after pollen that is the most common cause of allergies, knowledge of what to do in case of a sudden attack of asthma or edema Quincke.