Pay close attention to this unknown phenomenon that may affect you

every year , Allergy Respiratory diseases are gaining a bit more status in France. For example, pollen allergy, which is undoubtedly the most prevalent of all, today affects 30 to 35% of adults and about 20% of 9-year-olds according to INSERM, three times more than it did in the early 2000s. Twenty.

And if you’re one of those millions of French people who fear spring comes and its share of sneezes, coughs, and itchy skin, know that there’s another relatively unknown phenomenon that should catch your eye, too: allergies.

Cross-allergy, what is this?

People who already have allergies are at risk of developing Increased sensitivity to other substances From the same family, with similar allergens. A phenomenon known as cross sensitivity, which is much less rare than one might think in people with favorable ground.

It is not surprising that cross-sensitivity occurs more frequently in people who are already allergic to vaccine. This is up to Three times more likely to have a food allergy at the same time. In most cases, respiratory allergies appear before food allergies.

To see more clearly, here is a summary table of the most common types of cross sensitivity (the table you can find on the site alk.fr):

Cross sensitivity, complex to determine

Thus, a person allergic to grass pollen will be more likely to develop an allergy to peanuts, wheat flour, melons, or oranges. But respiratory allergies are not the cause of all cross-allergies.

The phenomenon can be for example Observed in food families. A person with a peach allergy is more likely to develop an allergy to apricots, almonds, cherries, plums, or apples.

Finally, cross-sensitivity can be Especially difficult to define, in particular due to the significant seasonality of respiratory allergies. In addition, allergic cross-reactions are often mild (tingling in the mouth and throat) and may go unnoticed. However, the symptoms can be more severe in some cases (edema, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, asthma …).