Can you be allergic to air conditioning?
Any allergic reaction occurs due to human interaction with an irritant substance. These irritants can be very different. Their effect on the body causes increased production of histamine, which is why pathological symptoms arise.
With a device like an air conditioner, it is difficult to know what exactly is causing the problem. This product is designed to make the air cleaner and more comfortable in temperature. Therefore, it would seem that allergies should not occur when using it.
The problem is that any split system has filters that collect pathological particles and microorganisms from the air.
These could be bacteria, fungal spores, dust, etc. If you do not replace the filter on time, it becomes filled with these harmful components, as a result of which the air condition begins to deteriorate during its operation.
Pathological particles spread and are inhaled by people in the room. If the body is weakened, allergies occur.
In other words, an allergic reaction does not appear due to the use of an air conditioner, but due to the fact that a product with an uncleaned filter is used. Allergies especially often occur with air conditioners installed in cars, since the filter is changed quite rarely.
Additional incentives for the development of the disease can be:
- weak immunity;
- hereditary predisposition;
- drug abuse;
- hormonal disorders;
- metabolic problems;
- chronic diseases;
- physical or emotional exhaustion;
- bad habits.
These factors can make a person vulnerable and particularly susceptible. Increased sensitivity is also common in children.
Another difficulty is that the air conditioner dries out or humidifies the air too much. Some people are sensitive to such things, which causes them to develop allergies.
Causes of the disease
In the summer, people often use air conditioning systems at home, at work, in the office, in shops and other institutions. The discomfort that arises can be difficult to distinguish from a cold. Let's try to figure it out: can air conditioning cause allergies? What are the symptoms and how to avoid painful conditions?
What dangers does air conditioner pose for allergy sufferers?
An allergic reaction occurs as a response of the body’s immune system to potentially dangerous substances released into the air during operation of the split system:
- Pathogenic microorganisms - fungal spores, bacteria, viruses that accumulate in a contaminated filter and system design elements. They are carried throughout the room with the air flow and can cause respiratory diseases and allergies in sensitive people.
- Dust - contains microparticles of plants, animal hair, dust mites, mold spores and other components that cause respiratory reactions in the form of nasal congestion, sneezing, and tearfulness.
- Freon, freon, propylene glycol are chemical reagents whose vapors enter the air when the system is depressurized. They are especially harmful in small spaces. Allergies from the air conditioner inside the car when there is a refrigerant leak are the most dangerous.
Symptoms of a negative reaction
Air conditioner intolerance is difficult to identify, since in essence it is a reaction not to the product itself, but to the pathological particles accumulated in it.
It is impossible to conduct tests for a huge number of microorganisms and substances contained in the air. It is necessary to carefully study the circumstances of the patient’s life in order to understand when negative symptoms appear. And for this you need to know the main signs of such an allergy.
These include:
- cough;
- rhinitis;
- increased lacrimation;
- redness of the eyelids;
- sneezing;
- temperature increase;
- itching on the skin;
- dry mouth;
- redness of the skin;
- rashes;
- fast fatiguability;
- drowsiness.
The listed features can be observed all together or separately. At first, only a few of them can be detected, but if left untreated, the difficulties will increase. In this case, the patient can notice when the reaction worsens.
All this should be reported to your allergist. He will study the medical record to make sure there are prerequisites for the development of the disease and prescribe the necessary tests.
Only after this does it make sense to use medications to eliminate the pathology. It is very important that the actions taken are correct, because otherwise the patient’s condition may worsen. A severe allergy attack can even lead to death.
Causes of the disease
What is the reason, namely, an allergy to air conditioning in a person. Let's look at the main causes of the disease:
— The air conditioner cools and thereby humidifies the air. Due to the large number of germs, viruses and dust mite excrement, as well as dirty filters, an allergic reaction occurs.
— An allergy attack can start from various chemical elements that make up the air conditioner, and they, in turn, can decompose.
— An allergy to air conditioning is a kind of home for mold fungi. It is their spores that provoke allergies in a person who lives or works in an air-conditioned room.
— An allergic reaction can also occur due to a variety of viruses, bacteria, and microbes. It is in this environment that they reproduce well and quickly. These allergens are released into the air, the products of their vital activity, therefore, an air-conditioned room causes such a reaction in some people.
But all this can be avoided if you handle the device correctly.
If a powerful device is installed in a small room, and it is poorly looked after and the filters are not cleaned, then there is a danger that allergies will affect the human body.
Manifestation
Because a person constantly comes into contact with allergens from the air conditioner, the manifestation may be as follows:
— A person begins to experience cold symptoms, such as sneezing, although there is no obvious cold.
- The eyes become red and itchy, the eyelids swell.
- Copious watery discharge from the nose begins or, conversely, congestion appears.
- Sudden dry, suffocating cough, leading to suffocation.
- Difficulty breathing, sometimes with whistling.
- Rash and itching on the skin, in rare cases turning into blisters.
Diagnosis
To diagnose this disease, you must consult a doctor. To make a diagnosis, the doctor will need to conduct a series of clinical tests and skin tests. If the disease is confirmed, then immediate treatment will be prescribed.
Treatment of the disease
The first thing to do in case of an allergic reaction is to move away from the air conditioner or, in general, get rid of it.
Treatment of the disease directly depends on its severity, so it is necessary to use different medications:
1. Antihistamines. They begin to be taken at the first symptoms of an allergy. They include tablets, capsules, inhalers, drops, sprays, and topical products. But don't self-medicate. All medications should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor.
2. Corticosteroids. This list includes ointments, creams, sprays. They should be used for skin rashes. You can buy them at the pharmacy, but, unfortunately, many have side effects if they are not used according to the instructions. It follows from this that all these remedies are used after a full examination and only if the allergy is confirmed by skin tests.
3. Decongestant drugs. Prescribed if swelling is observed in the oral cavity. These medications will help relieve difficulty breathing and stuffy nose.
Treatment methods
To neutralize adverse symptoms, it is necessary to stop contact with the allergen. In this case, it is advisable to be in the room where the air conditioner is used less often, and if possible, remove it altogether. Although at first you can try changing the filter, since the body often reacts to the bacteria, fungi and dust particles in it.
Since split systems are used in many organizations, it will be difficult to completely avoid contact with them. Therefore, it is necessary to find out how to overcome pathological symptoms. An allergist will help you choose the most effective method for this.
Most often, antihistamines are used for this, which quickly eliminate problematic phenomena.
They can come in different forms. Tablets are prescribed for various symptoms. They have a systemic effect on the body. For skin reactions, it is effective to use creams, ointments and sprays. Sometimes they are prescribed in combination with each other.
In complicated cases, a specialist may recommend a corticosteroid drug. They act faster and more efficiently, but at the same time cause side effects, so they should not be used for long and only as prescribed by a doctor.
To eliminate such allergies in a child, products with a lower dose of active ingredients are used.
Video from Dr. Komarovsky:
Diagnostics
Allergies to air conditioning can be caused by various components, cross-allergic reactions are possible, so diagnosing the cause of discomfort can be difficult. At an appointment with an allergist, you should note an increase in reactions when you are in a room with a working air conditioner. The doctor examines the patient, identifies hereditary predisposition and a history of allergies.
A complete examination of the patient is carried out using tests and skin tests, which are carried out by scarification, patch tests, and prick tests (see “Skin tests for diagnosing allergies”). If an allergen is identified, the patient receives recommendations for treatment and further operation of the split system.
Skin tests are not performed on children under five years of age. The disease is diagnosed by taking venous blood to identify specific immunoglobulins (see in more detail “Blood testing for immunoglobulins for allergies”). The method is safe due to the lack of contact with the tested pathogen, and allows you to identify more than 200 types of allergens.
Prevention recommendations
Treating allergies is quite difficult. If this disease has already formed, then the patient has to follow a special regime throughout his life. Therefore, it makes sense to try to avoid complications.
You can prevent the development of the disease if you follow the following rules:
- Follow the instructions for the air conditioner.
- Timely replacement of filters.
- Frequent wet cleaning of the premises.
- The use of ionizers or humidifiers (if you are sensitive to dryness or humidity).
- See a doctor if negative symptoms appear.
- Strengthening the immune system.
Following these recommendations does not guarantee that problems will not occur. Usually, their observance is desirable for people at risk, but irritation can occur in any person, even in the absence of prerequisites.
Bacteria
The most dangerous bacteria is legionella, which multiplies in the humid environment of the air conditioning system. Spreading throughout the room with air flow, it can cause acute infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, including severe pneumonia with a fatal outcome.
Fortunately, this bacterium is very sensitive to antibacterial drugs of the erythromycin group, and with timely consultation with a doctor, treatment leads to complete recovery.
Consequently, if the air conditioner filters are clogged and have not been changed for a long time, the likelihood of a deterioration in the well-being of allergy sufferers increases sharply. In this case, symptoms of an allergy to the air conditioner arise, which are often mistaken for signs of a cold.
general information
Fabric softener is a product that provides softness and freshness to washed clothes. Additional features of the product include:
- preservation of the characteristics of the fabric and its quality;
- maintaining the natural shade of things;
- simplifying the ironing process;
- repelling dirt;
- imparting a delicate aroma to linen.
All of the above features are achieved thanks to cationic substances in the composition of air conditioners. When they get on the fabric, they create a protective shell that repels dirt and helps remove stubborn stains. Thanks to the silicones in the rinse aids, things become soft, and pills, puffs and abrasions appear on their surface less often.
Some air conditioners have antistatic properties, due to which clothes do not become electrified. This effect is beneficial for linen made from synthetic fibers.
Features of application
In order for baby conditioner to work correctly, you need to know the subtleties of its use. Rinse aids are used for hand or machine washing. When washing clothes yourself, the concentrate is added directly to a bowl of water in the required dosage and left for about 10 minutes. Then the items are rinsed and wrung out.
When machine washing, concentrated fabric softener is added to the compartment located next to the powder reservoir, then the desired mode is started. In order for the procedure to proceed correctly, you should adhere to the following basic rules:
- It is not recommended to pour concentrate into the washing machine drum itself. To ensure that the product is distributed evenly throughout the clothing, it is added to the designated compartment.
- The conditioner must be added in the exact dosage indicated. To get the desired effect, you must strictly follow the instructions. The lack of product will not create a soft and protective effect. An excess will make the thing slippery and unpleasant to the body.
- For linen made of wool and silk, you need to use special products. Items made from these fabrics are fussy to wash, so it is recommended to use appropriate products for this procedure. Usually all the information is written on the packaging.
- Do not wash outerwear using concentrate. Most often, outerwear has water-repellent components, so the use of auxiliary products will not give any positive effect.
If you follow the recommendations, your items will always be soft and protected after washing.
