| Do you know why and how your nose could feel | | | | the late spring and early summer in the seasonal |
| itching and sensitive? The substances that cause | | | | country but it is almost 10 months long in the |
| itching and sensitive of your nose are called allergens. | | | | non-seasonal country. To avoid pollen outdoor, I think |
| These include pollen, mold, dust mites, certain foods, | | | | the only way is wearing filtration mask or make sure |
| latex, animal dander, and others. These allergens | | | | you have taken antihistamine medicine before going |
| sensitize the nasal mucosal membrane through a | | | | out. However, indoor pollen could be reduced by |
| sensitization process, which typically involves a few | | | | installing electrostatic air cleaner, HEPA (High |
| types of cell in our body, such as macrophage, | | | | Efficiency Particulate Air) Filters, air conditioning, |
| lymphocyte and mast cell. In the beginning of the | | | | dehumidifier, humidifier and ionizer (negative ion |
| sensitization, allergens penetrate through the mucosal | | | | generator). |
| surface in our nasal passage. The easiness of the | | | | Electrostatic air cleaner is also called as electrostatic |
| allergens penetrate through the mucosal surface is | | | | precipitator. It consists a fan, which is used to draw |
| due to the deficiency of IgA antibodies, which main | | | | the air that containing particles to pass through |
| function is eliminating micro organisms that adhere to | | | | electrical charged plate where the particle is trapped. |
| the mucosal surface. Usually, patients, who allergic to | | | | The tedious job for this equipment is that you need |
| the allergen, have lower level of IgA antibodies. | | | | to frequently clean the plate that traps the particles |
| The second step of the sensitization process is | | | | because when the particles accumulate too much on |
| scavenging of the allergen by the macrophage cell. | | | | the plate, it may cause its trapping efficiency drops. |
| Macrophage cell is the large scavenger cell in the | | | | HEPA filtration can remove particles that as fine as |
| blood, whose function is eating up antigen, which is | | | | 0.3 microns. Therefore, this equipment can remove |
| from outside of our body. During the scavenging | | | | most of the particulate matter in the room not only |
| process, macrophage cells also pass information | | | | pollen but also including bacteria, dust mite, molds, |
| about the invasion of foreign antigen to the | | | | yeast and spores, which are also allergens to nasal |
| lymphocyte cell, which involves several enzymes. | | | | allergy. HEPA filtration is very efficient to relieve hay |
| Lymphocytes are stimulated by this information and | | | | fever and asthma symptoms. It can relieve the hay |
| multiplied to transform into plasma cells, which would | | | | fever and asthma symptoms within ten minutes to |
| synthesize IgE antibodies. IgE antibodies move to the | | | | half an hour after switching on the equipment. When |
| mast and basophil cells around the eye, mouth and | | | | the potassium permanganate and charcoal is |
| nose via tissue fluid and blood where they bind to | | | | combined with the HEPA filter, it can clear the big |
| the mast and basophil cells. When an allergen forms a | | | | particulate matter like dust and pollen as well as |
| bridge between two IgE molecules on the mast or | | | | chemical odor. This is because potassium |
| basophil cells surface, histamine, which is a primary | | | | permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent, which could |
| chemical mediator, will be released. This chemical will | | | | decompose most of the dust and organic |
| stimulate exocrine glands, contract smooth muscles in | | | | substances; whereas, charcoal could adsorb most of |
| the bronchi, dilate blood vessels and increase their | | | | the volatile organic substances. |
| permeability and cause itch. Second chemical; | | | | Air conditioning is also one of equipment that can |
| prostaglandin, which is a secondary mediator, is | | | | reduce pollen count in a closed room air to around |
| synthesized in all types of cell and this chemical will | | | | zero. Usually, pollen level in an unfiltered room with |
| cause inflammation around the mucosal surface inside | | | | window open is about one-third the outdoor level. |
| the nostril. | | | | With this level, it is high enough to aggravate |
| How to avoid nasal allergy? We knew that nasal | | | | symptoms in anyone with pollen allergy. Similar to |
| allergy is caused by the allergen; therefore, the first | | | | electrostatic air cleaner, air conditioning’s coils and |
| method to avoid nasal allergy is eliminating the | | | | filters need to be cleaned frequently to prevent mold |
| allergen in our house or room. People who are allergic | | | | contamination. Besides, air conditioning’s cooling |
| to house dust may not have allergy to the road or | | | | temperature should not be set to too low because |
| field dust. This is because house dust containing | | | | air that too cold can aggravate respiratory allergy. |
| house dust mite, which is the major allergic | | | | It is better for them who have asthma or nasal |
| component. Mites like to live in mattresses and box | | | | allergy and other respiratory allergies to breathe |
| spring that containing cotton fillers or kapok. So, we | | | | moist air in order that their nose and bronchial |
| should replace this thing to foam rubber encased with | | | | passages will not dry up. There is not a problem for |
| durable impervious material. Besides, we also should | | | | people who live in equatorial and tropical country |
| replace eiderdown, blankets and pillows with the one | | | | because humidity level in these countries is very high. |
| that are less hospitable to mites. In addition, | | | | However, this level may be too high and it can |
| dust-collecting upholstered furniture and carpets | | | | promote growth of house dust mites, molds and |
| should not keep in the room because it accumulates | | | | fungi and tends to carry more dust and pollen. The |
| dust mites. To keep the house dust mites low in our | | | | suitable level of humidity in the house is about 35 to |
| house, we should vacuum-clean our house frequently. | | | | 50 percent. With this level, people won’t feel |
| Allergy condition for the people who are allergic to | | | | uncomfortable and it also could prevent proliferation |
| animal dander can improve quickly if they remove | | | | of allergen around the house. Therefore, people who |
| their animal from the house. However, if the particular | | | | live in the seasonal countries need a humidifier in |
| person’s allergy condition is too critical, his nose | | | | winter and a dehumidifier in the summer; whereas, |
| may still feel itching for a period of some few | | | | people who live in the non seasonal countries need a |
| months after removal of the animal. This is due to | | | | dehumidifier to reduce their house moisture level to |
| the animal dander that has left in the furniture and | | | | prevent growing of molds, dust mites and fungi. |
| carpets. If the allergy continues for a longer period of | | | | Humidifier and dehumidifier need to be clean |
| time, it may due to an indirect exposure to hidden | | | | frequently with stiff brush. |
| allergenic substances or other allergens. If what has | | | | Ionizer or negative ion generator is a machine that |
| been mentioned above still could not improve your | | | | generates negative ion into the air. Particles surface is |
| allergy condition or it is inconvenient for you to carry | | | | positively charged; therefore, when negative ion is |
| out what has been mentioned above, you may go | | | | attracted to the particles surface, its positive charges |
| through immunotherapy. | | | | are electrically neutralized by these negative ions. |
| The second allergen that could cause nasal allergy is | | | | Particles with neutralized surface are tend to deposit |
| pollen. Pollen is released from the tree or grass | | | | on the wall or floor. With this equipment, particles in |
| seasonally. Therefore, it is quite difficult to avoid this | | | | the air can be reduced with the condition that the air |
| allergen even though you keep yourself indoor in the | | | | in the room is not blown up by a fan. Therefore, in |
| city flat or house with the window and door closed. | | | | order to make the house free of dust particles, wall, |
| People with hay fever should not live in the dark flat | | | | floor, carpet and furniture have to be |
| or house with window and door closed during these | | | | vacuum-cleaned frequently. |
| best months of the year. They can just go through a | | | | Prevention is one of the ways to temporarily relieve |
| short period of systemic steroid treatment, which | | | | nasal allergy symptoms. However, based on cost, |
| could allow them to live an almost normal life during | | | | there are other ways that are cheaper to cure nasal |
| this short period of pollen season. Pollen season is in | | | | allergy without any side effect. |