In the space of 5 years, food allergies doubled. In 2008, France counted more than 2 million persons victims of food allergy. The children are particularly affected, three times more than the adults. How to explain such recent progress of food allergies?

To explain the recent strong increase of food allergies, the Asthme et Allergie association moves forward 7 major reasons.

1) A better screening of allergies: general public and professionals of health are more and more sensitised and vigilant facing this problem of health.

2) The breast-feeding strongly diminished: many studies allocate a preventive effect of feeding on allergies. At the same time, feeding is less and less frequent in France and the more and more short period of feeding.

3) A very precocious food diversification at the new-born babies: a too precocious diversification constitutes a factor of progress of food allergies. She should not start before 6 months. In other words, alone the milk is necessary until the age of 6 months.

4) The excess of hygiene: the development of hygiene has a disadvantage, that to multiply cases of allergy. Indeed, in strong to disinfect our environment, our immune system becomes more sensitive to allergic reactions.

5) The exotic food: ‘exotic ‘ said feeding can draw away at some persons’ of allergic reactions. They are mainly: spices (curry powder, paprika), condiments (Cayenne, caraway, coriander), the exotic fruits (kiwi, lawyer, lichees, exotic nuts), the seeds of sesame, etc.

6) Industrial preparations: modern way of life leads us to eat more and more already prepared dishes. And these contain concealed allergens, of which the consumers are not aware.

In the final, it is not really amazing to attend such increase in food allergies. To return to a more natural feeding should contribute to reverse this evolution slightly …

With spring, the season of respiratory allergies returns. And as though to sneeze all day long was not enough, for the allergic, the night is often a bad time to be crossed.

Respiratory allergies and sleep

A recent study on allergies and sleep showed that allergic rhinitis, one of the most frequent respiratory allergic affections, was very often accompanied with sleep troubles. These would be caused, across a still badly known mechanism, by a reaction of the brain to the inflammation which touches cloths of the nose. This phenomenon comes to get worse an already unpleasant situation at first …

Even more embarrassing symptoms at night

Indeed, the respiratory allergies, which are accompanied by important production of phlegm, of cough, of cloths congested in the nose and in the throat, sometimes seem linked to prevent sleep to begin, cough or sneezes do not help to fall asleep. And even once they succeeded in closing the eye, as the nose is crimson and blocked, it is possible to breathe only by the mouth. And this breathing is not optimum on long length: congestion gets worse, mucous membranes become dry, or even painful. The person suffering from allergy is uncomfortable, thirsty, and wakes up very easily. The result of every it is an unsettled sleep, which returns the all the more difficult days with tiredness, difficulties in concentrating and possibly petulance.

How to spend good nights in spite of allergies?

The first stage, it is to make sure that the allergies are under control. It means to consult a competent allergist and to follow the treatment of possible bottom which will have been prescribed. Some medicine anti-allergy are likely to draw drowsiness away, it is useful to decide on an hour in which you take them according to this side effect. Moreover, some “knack” is recommended by the specialists and the persons affected by allergies:

- Change sheets regularly to avoid that allergens as dust mites or dust pile up there.

- Wash hair in the evening to get rid of allergens kept in hair in the course of the day, especially for allergies in the pollen.

- Take the time, before going to lie down, to make a soft rinsing of the nose with a nasal specialised spray (not willy-nilly medicinal). It will free you from allergens which are already in your respiratory tract and will improve the humidity of mucous membranes.

- To raise the height of the head of the bed of some centimetres makes breathing easier (but aggravate the problems of legs).

- To drink enough throughout the day returns the easier and more liquid phlegm to be evacuated.

As though an allergy in a food was not enough, many people also suffer from crossed allergy, that is they react of a way exaggerated in different food of close chemical structure. What are main allergens and types of crossed allergies the most frequent?

Food allergy

It is about a reaction exaggerated by the immune system in a food which he admits as being dangerous. Most often, this reaction is launched having ingested the food in question but she can happen just as much after a cutaneous contact with the food (a handshake with a person who has just eaten peanuts for example) or respiratory (the simple smoke of cooking).

What are main allergens?

At the child

The egg white

The peanut

The cow’s milk

Leguminous plants (soya, pea, bean, lens, broad bean)

The fish

The group ‘nut ‘ (almond, hazelnut, nut, nut of Brazil, cashew nut, gable, pistachio)

The group ‘latex ‘ (lawyer, banana, chestnut, kiwi)

Cereals

The ‘ Ombellifères ‘ group (dill, carrot, celery, coriander, fennel, seeds of anise, parsley)

At the adult

The ‘ Rosacées ‘ group (apricot, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, hazelnut, peach, pear, apple, plum)

The group latex (lawyer, banana, chestnut, kiwi)

The ‘ Ombellifères ‘ group (dill, carrot, celery, coriander, fennel, seeds of anise, parsley)

The group nut (almond, hazelnut, nut, nut of Brazil, cashew nut, gable, pistachio)

The peanut

Cereals

Leguminous plants (soya, pea, bean, lens, broad bean)

The fish

The egg

Crossed allergies

Some allergic persons in a food react so strongly to other food to which chemical structure is close: it is crossed allergy. Sometimes, allergens come from very different sources.

Most known is the allergy crossed in the pollens of trees and in some fruits and vegetables.

Generally, the allergic demonstration in the pollen precedes food crossed allergy.

What are main types of crossed allergies?

Crossed allergies pneumallergènes-food

Pollen of birch: apricot, almond, nectarine, carrot, celery, kiwi, peach, hazelnut, nut, apple, potato.

Pollen of wormwood: dill, carrot, caraway, celery, coriander, fennel, parsley.

Pollen of ambrosia: banana, melon, watermelon.

Pollen of grasses: peanut, tomato.

Latex: apricot, lawyer, banana, chestnut, cherry, fig, passion fruit, kiwi, papaya.

Dust mites: snail.

Feathers of bird: egg.

Horse: horse’s meat.

Cat: pork meat.

Crossed allergies food-food

Oleaginous plant: almond, hazelnut, nut, nut of Brazil, cashew nut,  gable, pistachio.

Umbelliferae: dill, carrot, celery, coriander, fennel, parsley.

Leguminous plants: peanut, soya, pea, bean, lens, broad bean.

Crossed allergies food-latex

Lawyer, banana, kiwi, chestnut.

New crossed allergies: recent some studies suggest an allergy crossed between the flour of cereals and the kiwi.

The principle of desensitizing consists in inoculating in small doses the allergen responsible for phenomena of annoyance, for chronic or seasonal rhinitis, so that organism immunises of itself. It is a kind of vaccination. Little by little our body learns to support the intruder.

How are you getting on?

Desensitizing consists therefore in managing doses, at first infinitesimals, responsible allergen (that they identified in anticipation by means of patch tests and blood). According to the treatment which stretches over several months, the dose is augmented. Then follows a stage, in the course of which they will not exceed the maximum dose tolerated for the patient. This identical dose is then going to be managed in regular intervals. Progress in this immunization: injections by injections can be replaced with drops under the language. Distinctly nicer! But if injections are weekly and are made at the allergist’s, the catch by oral way must be daily, in the morning on an empty stomach. With the sublingual system they arrive in fourteen days, to attain the maximum dose which will then be followed in stage of maintenance. But attention: the desensitizing in venoms is not made by sublingual way.

How long lasts a desensitizing?

It depends on every patient. But it is necessary to count on average from three to five years for well-known results. In initial stage, during quarter about, doses are augmented. Then the stage of maintenance succeeds him.

Does the desensitizing treat on all allergies?

Three-five years, it is long! Game has therefore to be worth the candle. Having apparently identified the responsible allergen, and because the patient is very handicapped by his symptoms, because his illness deteriorates, or even degenerates into asthma, desensitizing is envisaged. Dust mites and pollens make the object of an efficient desensitizing, with a rate of 70 % success while venoms of Hymenoptera (wasps, honeybees) walk to more than 90 %. A border however: when they are allergic in several allergens, desensitizing becomes less efficient. The more reasons of allergies are multiplied, the more it is difficult to be desensitized.

Can the children benefit from it?

They consider that from the age of 5 years, and on the condition of having identified well the allergen, and undertaken its ousting when it is possible? elimination of the dust mites or of the domestic animal? the child can benefit from it. Rather than an injection, they will favour sublingual mode.

Are there side effects?

So as to injection, in the subcutaneous way, there can happen a small local reaction, redness, swelling. She is short-term. Also there can be symptomatic demonstrations, sneezes, annoyance of the nose. To the allergist to watch the treatment.

In what signs do they realise that the treatment is efficient?

Simply because the habitual symptoms become blurred: less of nasal discharge, prickle, headaches. For the dust mites, beneficial effects have to be felt at the end of six months. For pollens after the first season!

Are there contraindications?

Desensitizing on an immunocompromised person will not be practiced (by whom immune system went down) on a person attained by a cancer, on a pregnant woman. Some medicaments in long course (cardiovascular diseases) double point this therapeutics out. It is always necessary to specify which treatments are followed to the allergist.

More than an asthmatic on three is bothered by the asthma during intercourse. Anxious at the idea of the happening of a crisis, some “‘economize” during intercourse, others limit length or frequency. Delicate subject to be both approached with his spouse and with his doctor, here is some advice.

The quality of sexual life of the asthmatic is corrupted

The sexual act corresponds to a strain equivalent to 2-storeyed rise. Nothing amazing in it than intercourse are often difficult for the asthmatic.

Main problems come from strain, but also from weight of the partner, from lengthened position and from anxiety of the happening of an asthma attack in the course of the sexual act.

The environment of the room can also interfere. Here are some practical advice:

• Air in the morning and evening.
• Do not overheat, the temperature of the room must be less in 20°C.
• Dispel the dust: under the bed, in cupboards, on the books of the library, on and in night table, etc.
• Wash sheets one time a week in at least 60 °.
• Avoid carpets and moquettes, and prefer the smooth soil: paving, varnished Office of Public Prosecutor.
• Choose a synthetic mattress and a pillow (no feathers nor of down).
• Adopt a base with laths or with springs.At any rate, speak about it to your partner, explain him that you are asthmatic and point to him out the origin of your fears. And during intercourse, stay over the preliminary, prolong with time of pause not to leave you breathless, favour positions where the lightest partner is above and test new positions to find those who are the best suitable for you.

And if you were allergic in the latex?

Condoms, in latex, can cause allergies. These are translated by itches, annoyance, redness, vaginal dryness, or even allergic serious shock.

If it is case, use condoms based on polyurethane which do not contain latex. Do not hesitate to ask your chemist …

In the past, the desensitizing of the persons attained by allergy, notably by allergic rhinitis, imposed series of injections. Since a dozen years, it is enough to deposit drops under the language . A true revolution in the treatment of allergic rhinitis! What are the key points to be known?

1) At the persons who suffer from allergic rhinitis, the sublingual desensitization way reduces symptoms and use of medicaments. The symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis are diminished about 37 %, the nasal blockage of 59 % and 50 % watering of the eyes (1).

2) The improvement of symptoms is supported several years after sublingual desensitizing. But it is necessary to know that the relapse will be all the more precocious as the length of desensitizing was short.

3) It is especially efficient in case of allergy in pollens, but also used in case of allergy in dusts of home and in dust mites.

4) Before undertaking a desensitizing, it is necessary to assess allergy to identify the allergen in reason.

5) Desensitizing risks being ineffectual in case of poly sensibilisation. She contacts therefore allergic subjects in a specific allergen.

6) The sublingual desensitization way is tolerated well and seldom requires a stopping of the treatment. The most common reactions are local, they happen principally at the beginning of treatment and are of light intensity in moderate: buccal edema, oral pruritus(itches), edema of the language, annoyance of the throat and sometimes prurit ocular.

7) To the asthmatic, the results of desensitizing are more modified (2). Nonetheless, an improvement of symptoms (bronchial hyperreactivity) is got.

Food allergies are more and more frequent and the list of the food in which it is possible to be allergic is more and more long, without speaking about crossed allergies! Can you admit different types of symptoms which a food allergy can cause?

To what is due a food allergy?

As for all allergies (dust mites, hair of animals, pollens, latex), it is about an exaggerated reaction to an element. Organism admits him wrongly as a dangerous element and implements actions of struggle against this one.

When does the allergic reaction manifest itself?

In the contact of the food admitted to be dangerous. But attention, there are several modes of contact likely to launch a food allergy:

- Having eaten the food in question.

- But also after a contact on the skin. That’s how to manipulate a lever of console of games which was used by a person having eaten peanuts for example, can be enough to launch an allergic reaction at an allergic person in the peanut.

- Finally, the allergen can be inhaled. Sniff the smells of cooking of a food in which they are allergic is possible be also enough to launch an allergic reaction.

To know that in the majority of cases, food allergy expresses itself in minutes, or even the hours which follow the contact with the allergen. However, intensity and delay of reaction depend on the type of contact, on the quantity of allergens and on the frequency of exhibition, without speaking about personal factors.

What are the symptoms of food allergy?

Cutaneous signs:

An atopic dermatitis manifests itself: the skin is dry, it itches and peels off. It is red, hot and painful.

A hives, sometimes very sprawling.

Buccal signs:

The bottom of the throat stings, lips are filled, with a discomfort to swallow. This sign is frequent at the persons’ who introduce an allergy crossed in the pollen.

Respiratory and ocular signs:

They are similar to the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and of allergic conjunctivitis: blocked nose or which runs, sneezes, red eyes, watering of the eyes, etc.

These signs are so sometimes fronts - runners of a strict allergic reaction.

Attention, it is well necessary to differentiate these signs of those of asthma, affection which touches pulmonary respiratory tract and that manifests itself by hiss and a respiratory discomfort.

Digestive signs:

The most common are nausea, vomiting, diarrheas and abdominal pain.

Finally, the anaphylactic shock is the most serious reaction. He requires an urgent treatment. He manifests itself by a feeling of feeling of faintness, itches, a hives and a respiratory discomfort.