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Allergy is a disproportionate reaction of our body’s defences to a substance that is harmless to most people. In the allergic person the immune system treats that substance, called allergen, as harmful, and there is a response that causes symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening problems. Symptoms Symptoms vary greatly in location, in- tensity, and severity. There can be se- vere allergic reactions that can even have a fatal outcome for the person suffering from allergies. The most frequent allergy, is the aller- gy to pollen or hay fever that appears especially in urban environments more than in rural areas, probably be- cause atmospheric pollution enhan- ces the allergenic effect of pollen. Allergic symptoms are generally but very annoying: tears and itchy eyes, what we call allergic rhinoconjutivitis, as well as nasal congestion, sneezing and coughing. More serious would be symptoms of respiratory distress and asthma. The most serious condition an increasingly common problem secondary to allergic reaction would be anaphylactic shock, a medical emergency that requires immediate action by a health professional. From an allergic process to a cold process Sometimes, it is not easy to distingui- sh an allergic process from a common cold. There are some differences that allow us to identify them: • The duration of symptoms is usua- lly shorter in the common cold, viral processes usually last half a week. • Fever and muscle pain do not appear in allergic processes. • Although coughing could appear in an allergy, it is much more fre- quent and prolonged in cold pro- cesses. • The evolution of the symptoms and the response to treatment is clearly different, while the common cold re- quires only symptomatic treatment, allergies clearly respond to antihis- tamine that decreases or eliminates the symptoms. Treatment The treatment in cases of allergy are antihistamines, drugs that block the release of histamine, which is the substance responsible for aller- gic symptomatology, it is important to take them regularly in periods of allergy, preferably at night. There are two types of drugs, classic or first generation antihistamines, and non-sedating or second-generation antihistamines, which are more com- monly used today because they act more selectively and penetrate less into the central nervous system, re- ducing drowsiness, so they are con- sidered safer and do not interfere with daily activities. We can find them in tablets, syrups, nasal sprays or eye drops. To this group belong drugs as well known as Loratadine (Claryti- ne), Desloratadine (Aerius), Ebastine (Ebastel), Rupatadine (Rupafin, Aler- goliver), Azelastine (Afluon)... It should also be considered as treat- ment Immunotherapy or vaccines can be considered for treatment. The vaccine treats the cause of allergy by administering small amounts of aller- gen to the patient in order to eventua- Allergies W E L L N E S S 38 W E L L N E S S