It’s the “sneezing” season again. What’s making me sneeze non-stop?

Spring is supposed to be a beautiful season full of hope, but there are some people who fall to the streets in spring, sneezing continuously, with tears and snot flying, especially now that they wear masks every day and dare not take them off frequently to wipe their noses...

Why do allergies always occur in spring? And why do allergies attack different people differently?

What exactly is allergy?

When talking about allergies, we have to mention our body's "security system" - the immune system. It is a defense network covering the entire body. Once it detects foreign substances and identifies them as "harmful substances", it will immediately sound an alarm and command all immune cells to attack such substances.

Does this sound familiar to you? Yes, in the article “Attention, tourists, next stop is the lungs!” published last week, we showed in detail how viruses attack cells.

Allergy is actually an abnormal reaction of the body, which is an abnormal reaction of people to normal substances (allergens). In other words, for normal people, these substances will not cause reactions. Allergic reactions will only occur when allergens come into contact with people with allergic constitutions.

Simply put, some people's immune systems "overreact" to some normal substances, similar to a state of being paranoid, and they tend to mistake normal foreign substances for "invaders" and attack them. The result is that we sneeze, have a runny nose, and red and swollen skin. In severe cases, it can lead to death. This is an allergic reaction.

Why choose spring to attack?

Allergies are an "overreaction of the human immune system" and the main reason is that the immune system can "accidentally injure" harmless substances. There are many such substances, which we often call "allergens", such as pollen, catkins, mites, drugs, proteins, ultraviolet rays, etc.

▲Common allergens in food

Spring happens to bring together most of the possible allergens in the environment.

The most common ones are pollen and catkins. Mites also like spring very much. The temperature and humidity are just right, and they begin to grow and reproduce in large numbers, and then hide in every corner: dust, clothing, quilts, etc. In addition, the temperature in spring is unstable, and the temperature difference between day and night is large. Some people will be stimulated by the alternation of cold and heat and become allergic. Once they catch a cold, the germs are more likely to be inhaled as allergens, directly inducing or aggravating allergies.

▲Seasonal allergens and perennial allergens

Why am I the only one so miserable?

There are no two identical people in the world, nor are there two identical immune systems. Therefore, when faced with the same type and amount of foreign substances, everyone's reaction is different.

When it comes to allergic diseases, we usually think that they are caused by genetic differences. There is indeed science showing that there are genetic factors in allergy problems. For example, couples who both have allergic constitutions are more likely to give birth to babies with allergic constitutions.

However, there is currently no clear genetic evidence as to whether allergies are caused by genotype differences, nor is there any mature genetic therapy.

At the same time, allergic diseases are usually multifactorial diseases involving both genes and the environment. Due to the influence of the acquired environment and lifestyle habits, many people can also develop allergic constitutions.

It is difficult to cure it completely, so we should take more precautions.

One of the more effective methods for treating allergies is "desensitization", which is simply "fighting violence with violence". Find the thing you are allergic to from dozens of common allergens, and then gradually inject the extract of this allergic substance into the body to let the body gradually adapt to this substance... It is a very hardcore treatment method.

However, the "desensitization method" is difficult to achieve a cure. It has a better effect on respiratory allergies, but can only temporarily control other allergies and cannot prevent recurrence. Moreover, the treatment process is long and costs a considerable amount of money.

Therefore, the best way is to prevent it and stay away from allergens.

For example, if you are allergic to substances such as pollen or catkins in spring, you should wear a mask. Daily nasal cleaning with nasal rinser can also temporarily relieve allergic symptoms. If you are allergic to mites or mold, you can wash the bedding frequently with water above 65°C and expose it to the sun. For difficult-to-clean items such as mattresses, you can wrap them with plastic wrap, which can also provide a certain degree of protection. For warm and humid places, ventilate and clean frequently to prevent the growth of mold. Food and drug allergies need to be more vigilant, try to eat less, and avoid "trouble from the mouth."

Today's topic: Let's talk about what weird things you or your friends are allergic to~ By the way, I'm a little allergic to good-looking boys and girls

Creator: China Digital Science and Technology Museum New Media Team

Review: Ji Guangwei, special expert from the new media team