Allergy sufferers take note: 19 tips for mountain biking with hay fever & asthma

Anyone who suffers from hay fever, i.e. a pollen allergy, also has an increased risk of asthma. The famous Greek physician Hippocrates coined the term asthma to describe breathing difficulties or the feeling of tightness when breathing. Bronchial asthma is characterised by chronic inflammation and hypersensitivity of the mucous membranes in the walls of the airways, especially the bronchi. These can react to specific stimuli with constriction, spasms or increased mucus production.

Typical signs of asthma

• Whistling breathing, especially when exhaling
• Shortness of breath
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in the chest
• Cough

Symptoms usually appear in episodes and subside in between. Attacks often occur at night and in the early hours of the morning. Appropriate treatment is crucial to prevent a progressive deterioration in lung function.

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Different forms of asthma

• Allergic: This is the most common form in children and adolescents, usually triggered by pollen, house dust mites, animal hair and dander, bed feathers or mould spores
• Exercise-induced (exercise-induced asthma) Occurs during and a few minutes after physical exertion
• Infection-induced asthma Following an infection of the upper respiratory tract
• Analgesic-related after taking certain medications, mainly acetylsalicylic acid ("aspirin") and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Occupational the respiratory disease is caused by allergising substances in the workplace, for example flour dust

Asthma often occurs in a combination of different forms. As the number of triggers increases, so does the likelihood of a new asthma attack. To diagnose asthma, a general physical examination and a lung function test are carried out, as well as tests for allergies if necessary.

Drug therapy is often used to treat the chronic inflammation with glucocorticoids (also known as cortisone) and to relieve the constriction of the airways with beta-2 sympathomimetics, usually in the form of inhalation sprays.

In addition, there are supportive measures such as training for patients, exercise, weight reduction, quitting smoking, physiotherapy specifically for breathing and techniques for better breathing control.

Shortness of breath during exercise & sport: also possible without asthma

Cycling with asthma is definitely possible and is even recommended; however, you should be careful to only gradually increase the intensity and not overexert yourself. Speaking of which: if the airways constrict during physical exertion and you experience shortness of breath, this can also be caused by the little-known disease "exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction" or EILO. It is characterised by whistling breathing when inhaling and can also be modulated by psychological stress.

19 tips for allergy sufferers

1. Plan longer training sessions for days when the allergy load is low, such as after a downpour. On such days, you should also ventilate your home well, in contrast to dry and windy days.
2. When thunderstorms are forecast, it is advisable to stay at home and keep the windows closed; after heavy thunderstorms, the number of asthma emergencies increases - even in people who are normally only affected by hay fever. The most common explanation for this is that pollen grains in high layers of air absorb water and burst. When they are then closer to the ground again, these particles can penetrate particularly deep into the airways and cause breathing difficulties.
3. Choose routes that are as far away from meadows and fields as possible.
4. Avoid routes with high levels of exhaust fumes. Nowadays, air pollutants pressurise pollen so that they release up to three times more allergenic substances.
5. The intensity of the pollen count varies daily; a look at the pollen count calendar or a corresponding app can be helpful - visit websites such as pollenflug.de, pollenstiftung.de or the overview map of Germany from the German Weather Service at dwd.de.
6. Well-fitting cycling goggles protect your eyes from pollen, even if it can still cause irritation via the nerve tracts in your nose.
7. Wash yourself and your hair after cycling and clean your helmet and glasses.
8. Do not store your cycling clothing in the bedroom, but wash it immediately.
9. Avoid foods that contain related allergens, such as rye or wheat products.
10. Rinse your nose daily with a saline solution (nasal douche).
11. Some prefer herbal or homeopathic remedies such as loofah, although their effectiveness has not been medically or scientifically confirmed.
12. Ensure you have healthy intestinal flora. The latest findings show its importance for a balanced immune system: if it is in equilibrium, it reacts less to harmless substances.
13. Don't overdo it with hygiene. Studies suggest that an environment that is too low in germs weakens the immune system.
14. During the main allergy season, a stay by the sea or in the mountains (above 1,500 metres) can be useful, as the pollen concentration is lowest there.
15. The load is also very low in indoor pools. So why not go swimming indoors on your rest day?
16. Make sure you relax and avoid overexertion during training, as both mental and physical stress can favour allergies.
17. Keep windows closed during the day and only ventilate early in the morning or late in the evening - in cities between 6 and 8 a.m. and in the countryside between 7 and midnight or after a rain shower.
18. Regularly clean your home thoroughly with a damp cloth instead of a dust cloth and use a hoover with a Hepa filter.
19. Consider installing pollen screens on the windows, especially in the bedroom, to keep at least some of the pollen out.

Technical terms on the subject of allergies

Antihistamines

Substances that either minimise or completely prevent the effects of histamine by binding to its receptors and blocking them or reducing their activity. (There are H1 and H2 antihistamines, depending on the type of receptor, as well as different generations of these substances).

Floor change

Around 40 per cent of patients with hay fever who do not receive adequate treatment develop a shift in their allergic symptoms towards the lower airways, i.e. the lungs and bronchi, which leads to asthmatic constriction.

Histamine

A tissue hormone that is either produced and stored in mast cells or is found in food. It is responsible for triggering inflammation or the contraction of the bronchial tubes during an asthma attack.

IGE

Immunoglobulin E. These proteins or antibodies serve as a defence against foreign substances and parasites (such as worms). IgE plays an important role in the development of allergies. Other immunoglobulins include A, D, M and G.

Cross allergy

People with a pollen allergy can also have problems with certain foods due to a cross-allergy. This happens because the antibodies fight against similar allergens from other sources.

Prick test

In the prick test, a drop of a solution containing allergens is placed on the skin, typically on the inside of the forearm. The skin under the drop is then pricked lightly. If there is an allergic reaction to one or more of the tested substances, this is indicated by redness, itching and the formation of wheals. The result of the test is assessed after 15 to 20 minutes.

Rhinitis

An acute or chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa, known as a cold.

SIT, specific immunotherapy

Also known as hyposensitisation or allergy vaccination. It is a process of slow immunisation to one or more allergens with the aim of preventing future allergic reactions. Repeated exposure to the allergen gradually reduces the intensity of the allergic response. Precise identification of the triggering allergens is required; these are then injected either under the skin or under the tongue. The therapy starts with very small doses, which are increased over weekly and later monthly intervals up to the maximum tolerated dose.

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