CBD, allergies and asthma
Allergy is often described as one of the most widespread chronic diseases in the world. Over the past decades, the number of people with allergies has been steadily increasing, and some frequently quoted forecasts suggest that one in two people could be allergic by 2050.
What is an allergy?
Every day our body defends itself against external attacks, microbes, viruses, bacteria, etc. To defend itself against these attacks, our body uses its personal defense system : the immune system. The role of the immune system is to defend the body against all diseases. If a virus or bacteria crosses the natural barriers of our body, our immune system enters the arena with the aim of destroying the intruder. During an allergic reaction, the immune system will perceive an external element as an aggression. Pollen, eggs, peanuts, or the cat's hair will trigger a disproportionate reaction of the immune response. The body will defend itself exaggeratedly against what it believes to be an aggression. The reaction will then provoke various symptoms :
- Asthma
- Rhinitis
- Hives
- Conjunctivitis
- Eczema
- Anaphylactic shock
The allergy can be triggered at any time in life. A child can be born allergic, and a 40-year-old person who never had any allergy can suddenly develop one. We are not all equal when faced with this risk. Some people are genetically predisposed. For example, the risk for a child is much higher when both parents are allergic than when only one is. However, it is not uncommon for a child to be allergic when the parents are not.
What are the different types of allergies?
Food allergies
Symptoms are cutaneous (eczema, hives, edema), digestive (pain, diarrhea), or systemic, i.e. affecting the whole body, which can go as far as severe allergic shock. The foods responsible for allergic reactions are well known and numerous: eggs, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish, etc.
Respiratory allergies
The symptoms are mainly respiratory, and cause allergic rhinitis (repeated sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, itching). 2 types of allergic rhinitis are distinguished:
- The persistent rhinitis, which lasts more than 4 days per week, and at least 4 weeks per year. It is caused by allergens present in the patient's direct environment.
- Intermittent rhinitis, which lasts less than 4 days per week and less than 4 weeks per year. It is consecutive to the arrival of pollens.
Allergies to certain medications
Most medications can trigger an allergic episode of any type (respiratory, cutaneous, etc.). The most well known are antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, certain anesthetics, etc.
Skin allergies
Contact with certain substances, food, cosmetics, cleaning products, medication, or even metals can cause the body to break out in hives, with the appearance of red, itchy patches, or eczema with the same effect.
Allergies to venoms
A bee, wasp or hornet sting can trigger a major reaction around it. In the most severe cases, an anaphylactic shock can be life-threatening.
Treatments
Avoiding the allergen
The simplest treatment is the removal of the offending allergen, when possible. Do not eat preparations that may contain a known allergen, keep pets away, change conventional bedding for another with anti-dust mite properties, etc.
Desensitization
By receiving small, gradually increasing amounts of the allergen under medical supervision, the immune system gets used to tolerating it. It is the only treatment that acts on the cause of the allergy.
Medication
- Antihistamines block the action of histamine, which is released during the reaction.
- Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that a doctor may prescribe when antihistamines are not enough.
- Bronchodilators are used in case of breathing problems by inhalation.
- Adrenaline is the emergency treatment that allows a return to normal blood circulation in case of anaphylactic shock. It is offered in the form of a single-dose auto-injector pen.
CBD and allergies
- Researchers in Taiwan reported that CBD reduced the hypersensitivity reaction to a protein to which mice were allergic. This result, obtained in animals, does not show that CBD reduces delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in humans.
- Other studies on the use of CBD in cases of allergy have shown on guinea pigs, who had a narrowing of the airways after inhalation of an allergen, an improvement in their condition after CBD use. These are preclinical results that do not allow any conclusion for humans.
CBD is not a medicine and does not replace the treatment of an allergy: ask your doctor or an allergist for advice.
