There's something in the air - allergies, asthma, colds during the virus
Don't be afraid of anti-allergy medicines!
Allergic asthma and allergic nose-eye symptoms become more and more common as summer approaches. These are diseases that mostly affect young people, and very often we find that they are reluctant to use or take medicines. Some are afraid of side effects, others are afraid of their bodies getting used to these drugs. In both cases, we tend to dispel these fears.
Locally used steroids, such as nasal sprays and inhaled anti-asthma agents, are so effective precisely because they exert their effect only on the mucous membranes of the nose or the small bronchi, so either alone or in combination with other drugs, they can completely eliminate the allergic inflammation, and thus the body is spared from the side effects of the steroid hormones given in the old days.
Therefore, you should not be afraid of them, because they do not cause side effects even after years or decades.
The other drugs used in the above symptoms can also be given safely if they are needed.
The experience of pulmonologists shows that after years or decades, both forms of the disease can go away, permanently or temporarily, and in such cases it is possible to completely abandon the drugs. So you don't have to worry about getting used to it.
Do steroids impair immunity?
In connection with the coronavirus epidemic, the frequent questions of patients living with chronic lung diseases about these drugs are becoming more important: do they impair the resistance of the airways, or can they weaken the immune system? On the contrary, it is the inflammation of the mucous membranes - both of the nasopharynx and bronchial mucosa - that makes our body more susceptible to infections .
In addition, any infection worsens the possible complications of the existing inflammation. For example, a simple nasal congestion, if left untreated, causes swelling of the mucous membranes covering the nasal passages to such an extent that even less infectious bacteria begin to multiply in the blocked area and create a so-called vicious circle: The nose becomes even more blocked and cannot heal. The exit of the sinuses or frontal sinuses may become blocked, and sinusitis, inflammation of the frontal sinuses may develop. By the way, this applies to all neglected respiratory allergy patients, regardless of the current epidemic.
The coronavirus and those who are particularly at risk
Asthma, whether allergic or non-allergic, poses a serious risk for the coronavirus epidemic. For them, it is even more important than average not to catch the infection. But it is at least as important that they use the kind and amount of medicine that makes them free of complaints, in other words, as the pulmonologist has set it, changing their dose according to the need in the given evening. This principle is now even more valid.
Chronic respiratory diseases (chronic bronchitis, COPD, etc.), which mainly affect smokers, which are also very common diseases, should be considered an equally vulnerable group during the epidemic. As with asthmatics, their prescribed therapy should be continued with great care according to the same principles, and should be changed or supplemented if necessary.
At the Duna Medical Center, it is possible to prescribe medicines within the framework of teleconsultation, if allergies cause nasal or eye symptoms. We also recommend remote consultation in pulmonary medicine if you want to get answers to your questions related to your underlying disease and the risk of the epidemic.
If you suffer from asthma or another chronic lung disease and have previously visited our institution where you were prescribed medicine, it is possible to write a prescription online.
Learn more about teleconsultation!
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