Spring at last, warm weather and everything starts to bloom: one man's joy, another man's sorrow. For almost 2 million Austrians, this is a time of suffering. Pollen allergy sufferers' noses start to run, their eyes water, their heads ache and they find it difficult to breathe. The season starts earlier and earlier and the number of allergy sufferers has risen steadily in recent years.

What is hay fever and how does it develop?

Hay fever is a hypersensitivity of the immune system to proteins from various plant pollen. The allergy triggers get onto the mucous membranes via the air we breathe and the immune system begins a violent inflammatory reaction in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Histamine is released, blood vessels dilate, the tissue swells, inflammatory cells migrate; as a result, the nasal mucous membranes swell and the bronchial tubes constrict.

Transition from hay fever to asthma

Without treatment, an allergy can become dangerous, as the symptoms from the eyes and nose can spread to the lungs. Allergic asthma can develop as a result. In addition, pollen allergy sufferers are at risk of cross-allergies when eating certain foods. People allergic to birch pollen can also have problems when eating apples, pears, peaches, other types of pome and stone fruit, carrots, nuts (especially hazelnuts), kiwis, celery, fresh figs, tomatoes and soy. If you are allergic to grass pollen, you may also be intolerant to peas, beans, lentils, cereals, peanuts or melons.

The right diagnosis leads to the right therapy - a skin test and component-based diagnostics such as the ImmunoCAP microchip test are very helpful

The first step if an allergy is suspected is a skin test (prick test), where small amounts of the allergen are dripped onto the skin and lightly scratched. If an allergy is present, itchy wheals appear. A further step is a blood test, which can be used in component-based diagnostics to specifically determine which protein components are responsible for the allergy. The ImmunoCAP microchip test, which was developed in Vienna, is a gentle and accurate method. All that is required is a blood sample. It is the only allergy test in the world that allows 112 allergen molecules to be tested in one go. Used as a screening method right at the beginning, the test provides important information about the actual causes of allergic symptoms.

Allergy and hay fever therapy

Experts rely on three pillars in the treatment of allergies: Avoiding allergy triggers (although this is rather difficult with pollen), alleviating symptoms with medication such as antihistamines or cortisone sprays and specific immunotherapy.

Symptoms are alleviated with tablets, drops or sprays. There are also effective vaccines against hay fever that modulate the immune system so that it no longer reacts "allergically". This vaccination is an allergen-specific immunotherapy that is either administered subcutaneously (injected under the skin) or taken sublingually (in tablet or droplet form).

In the daily newspaper Krone, dermatologist Dr. Christine Bangert from the JUVENIS beauty center in Vienna reports that there should be a new vaccine with fewer side effects in around three years' time. The vaccines currently available generally contain the entire pollen extract; in future it should be possible to target a specific allergen much more specifically.

What really helps with an allergy?

  • wash your hair and face every evening
  • No outdoor sports
  • Damp mop floors
  • Clean bedroom
  • Attach pollen screens to the windows
  • Symptomatic treatment with antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops
  • Specific immunotherapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Homeopathy

Treatments for healthy skin in Vienna at JUVENIS

In addition to treatments for healthy skin in Vienna, JUVENIS offers other services relating to health & prevention, radiance & posture and outer beauty that will make you look radiant and enhance your well-being.