Orchid allergy: symptoms, causes, treatment

There are indoor flowers in almost every house, and very often you can find representatives of the orchid family among them. Due to its unusual and beautiful flowers, the phalaenopsis orchid is especially popular. But for some people, with the appearance of a beautiful plant in the house, their well-being suddenly worsens, and this suggests that the cause was an allergy to orchids.

Reasons for the development of allergies

In fact, allergic reactions to these flowers are much less common than to many other flowering plants. The fact is that an allergy usually develops to pollen, which enters the air and is inhaled by a person.

In representatives of the orchid family, all the pollen is glued together in the so-called pollinium, which only a pollinator insect can carry. That is why orchid pollen grains do not circulate in the air and do not just cause allergies.

Unpleasant symptoms occur if you tried to smell the flower or touched it repeatedly during the care process.

In this case, pollen can get on the face or hands, and then into the respiratory tract. In addition, this beautiful exotic plant is relatively whimsical and therefore often requires chemical treatment. Various fertilizers and pest control products often cause allergic reactions.

Finally, the substrate on which the orchid grows can become the cause of the allergy. To create the most comfortable conditions for the life of a tropical flower, planting is carried out not in ordinary soil, but in a mixture of pieces of bark of some trees, white peat, sand, expanded clay, pebbles, charcoal, nutshells, mosses and even foam. Often, the substrate consists of many components at once, and any of them can be an irritant to the immune system.

Quite often, the appearance of indoor plants is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the child's condition. This is due to the fact that the immune system of children reacts inadequately to various stimuli, among which there may be those described earlier. It is worth noting that in some cases, allergies are provoked by several factors at once, for example, pollen and substrate.

Manifestations of an allergic reaction

Signs of allergies are often confused with the manifestations of the common cold, because they concern mainly the respiratory system. The following are the most common symptoms of hay fever or an allergic reaction to pollen:

• profuse colorless discharge from the nasal passages (watery or mucous);
• nasal congestion;
• tingling and burning in the nose;
• frequent sneezing;
• sore throat;

• dry cough;
• redness of the eyes;
• lacrimation;
• fast fatiguability;
• irritability.

Somewhat less often, an allergy to an orchid, in addition to the listed symptoms, is manifested by skin rashes and itching, attacks of suffocation, and an increase in body temperature. In severe cases, a rather violent allergic reaction may develop, requiring immediate medical attention.

It can be very difficult to determine the exact cause of an unpleasant condition, since standard excoriation tests are practically not used in this case. An attempt should be made to trace what events may be associated with the occurrence of allergies.

For example, if symptoms appear only during the flowering period, when trying to sniff flowers, or after touching them, with a high degree of probability it can be assumed that the pollen is to blame orchids. In cases where the manifestations of allergies are disturbing after caring for the plant, chemicals are the cause. Finally, if an orchid allergy persists for a long time and does not depend on such factors such as flowering and care procedures, the irritant, most likely, was the substrate for cultivation.

There are situations when the pathological symptoms persist even after replacing the substrate. To find out whether the flower is really involved in the development of allergies, the orchid should be removed from the house for a while and the body's reaction should be monitored. Very often, the cause of an allergic reaction is actually a microscopic house dust mite. In this case, the following measures help to solve the problem:

• constant ventilation;
• regular wet cleaning;

• getting rid of carpets and soft toys;
• thorough drying and knocking out of bedding.

Orchid allergy treatment

First of all, it is necessary to stop exposure to the body of a potential allergen, so the plant should be removed from the room. For the same purpose, it is recommended to ventilate the room, wipe all surfaces on which irritating particles have settled with a damp cloth. To remove the allergen from the airway and reduce symptoms, you can gently flush the nasopharynx with a mild saline solution. It is also recommended to drink more liquid for the speedy elimination of the irritating antigen.

Allergy drug therapy involves the use of the following means:

• antihistamines;
• nasal vasoconstrictor drops;
• creams, gels or ointments that reduce skin breakouts and itching;

• eye drops;
• anti-inflammatory drugs.

All of these drugs are prescribed by a doctor in specific dosages. The choice of medication depends on the severity of the allergic reaction. In some cases, it is possible to do only with antihistamines, and in case of violent allergies, even the use of hormonal drugs may be required.

Prophylaxis

By adhering to simple rules, you can reduce the risks of an orchid allergy to zero. Especially careful should be people who have previously had to deal with allergic reactions (especially hay fever), as well as persons whose body is weakened by infections or chronic diseases.

1. It is not recommended to put orchid pots close to the bed or places where the person spends most of the time (on the desk, etc.).
2. Ventilate flower rooms regularly and mop them up.
3. Try not to leave orchids and other flowering plants in small children's rooms.
4. Avoid using chemicals, especially those that need to be sprayed with a spray bottle.
5. Whenever possible, use natural fertilizers: decoction of potatoes and onion husks, eggshell infusion, wood ash.

If the allergy to the orchid remains after such events, it makes sense to pay close attention to the substrate. Old, practically decayed pieces of bark are a good breeding ground for fungi, whose spores enter the air and irritate the respiratory tract. To prevent this, provide the orchids with a fresh substrate and do not overfill the plant, as this promotes the decay process. To destroy the fungal flora, periodically water the flowers with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

Charcoal has a disinfecting effect, so a small amount of it must be in the "soil" for growing an orchid. Some types of sphagnum and forest moss have a bactericidal and fungicidal effect, but these components of the substrate must be changed regularly. At high humidity and under the influence of high temperatures, moss decomposes, loses its beneficial properties and only contributes to the spread of allergens.

Unfortunately, if all of the above tips do not help eliminate allergy symptoms, there is only one option: to isolate the orchid as much as possible. To do this, you do not always need to completely get rid of the flower, just allocate a separate closed room for it - a small orchidarium.