Allergy Treatment

About allergy

An allergy is an abnormal reaction by our immune system against a normally harmless substance. We can also say that allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction of the immune system to foreign substances, which are normally considered harmless. When a person who is allergic encounters the trigger, the body reacts by releasing chemicals which cause allergy symptoms.

Allergies come in all different shapes and sizes, some as benign, but bothersome as the sneezing, wheezing, coughing brought on by pollens, and some whoppers that can actually bring on anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock and death such a bee stings. Allergy is a very common disorder and more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually.

Allergy Causes

When foreign substances such as pollen cause allergic reactions, they are called allergens. Examples of allergens include pollens, bee stings, dust mite, molds, animal danders, venoms, etc. Some allergic symptoms can be brought by foods, such as nuts or shellfish, and some by medications. If you have a family history of allergy you will have a greater risk of acquiring one yourself.

During an allergic process, the substance responsible for causing the allergy, or allergen, binds to allergic antibodies present on allergic cells in a person’s body, including mast cells and basophils.

When an allergen comes in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in persons who are allergic to it. Allergens cause cells in your body to release chemicals known as mediators, which trigger allergy symptoms.

The allergic person can make allergic antibodies against a variety of allergens mentioned above. This occurs through a process called sensitization, where a person’s immune system is exposed to enough of the allergen to make the body produce allergic antibodies to that substance.

Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms of allergies reactions can appear round whole body or just on definite parts of body (e.g. skin, mucous membrane, digestive organs).

Types of allergies

The two main types of allergies are seasonal and perennial.

• Seasonal allergies are more common in the spring and fall when plant pollination begins.
• Perennial allergies are usually year-round problems. Common triggers for perennial allergies include mold spores, pet dander and dust mites.

We can also talk about 5 types of allergies:

• Breathed related allergies –> Asthma: An allergy is one of the most common causes for asthma. Asthma can be caused by respiratory viruses, pollen allergies, mold, animal dander and dust. An allergy can cause the irritation, swelling and inflammation of the air passages, which causes asthma.
• Food allergies: Common offenders are cow’s milk, egg whites, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, berries, shellfish, corn and beans. Symptoms manifest themselves as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and nausea.
• Allergies on medicines and vaccines –> Drug allergies: If you’re allergic to some drug, it’s likely to be from antibiotics of the penicillin family. Antibiotics are the cause of most drug allergies, especially those containing sulfa drugs.
• Skin allergies: These can arise from a reaction to foods, pollen, drugs, insect stings, cold, heat, light and even emotional stress. Symptoms include eruption of hives or urticaria, where the skin erupts into red, itchy, swollen welts that can last from a few minutes to a few days.
• Allergies on poisons and insects –> Insect sting allergies: Poison found in the stings of bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and fire ants is a common allergen. Symptoms caused by insect sting allergies usually happen after a few minutes after you got stung, although there may be symptoms happening after some hours. Insect venoms cause these allergic reactions, like those from wasps, bees, hornets, fire ants, and yellow jackets.

Seasonal allergy “triggers” include pollen and sometimes mold spores. Pollen, which is responsible for seasonal allergy symptoms, is very hard to avoid. Pollen levels rise during the spring as trees and flowers begin to bloom causing sneezing, runny nose, itchy watery eyes and nasal congestion.