Facts About Allergy

Allergies exist from the difficulty your immune system experiences when apprehending foreign substances. Your body system entails various systems which have their specific function.

The defensive system which opposes harmful substances kicks in whenever it senses a foreign substance. It is the hypersensitivity of your immune system, but typically these foreign substances propose no detriment. This reaction is simply an expression of the immune system. Foreign substances that trigger this reaction are called allergens.

There are various types of allergy, and it differs in people with different symptoms. Its symptoms are stepwise. It advances from mild symptoms to life-threatening symptoms. Most of these symptoms are not evident until you become an adult, whereas they can occur at any age. A Series of events take place during an allergic reaction which can be referred to as the stages of an allergy reaction.

An active immune system should have a strong stimulus at the sight of any foreign body. In that process, the body produces a proteinous antibody substance called IgE: Immunoglobulin E that provokes Histamine production.

Histamine causes the unpleasant itching, reddening of local areas, and swelling due to accumulated fluids from dilated blood vessels. The common allergens are food, pollen, or pet dander, which can be inhaled, swallowed, or touched.

Risk Factors of Allergy

Allergies can be from food, pollens, or materials. The two principal facets that contribute to the allergy reactions are Genes and the environment.

Gene is responsible for the diversity in our allergies. If any of your parents suffer from allergies, you are at a higher risk of developing an allergy. Mostly there is a likelihood that an allergy is inherited. Other factors that seem to contribute, just like genetics, are race, sex, and age.

Environmental factors in industrial countries contribute to their development. Citizens of such countries are exposed to microorganisms that reduce the level of immunity. Some other factors like stress and medications are capable of triggering an allergy.

Types of Allergic Reactions

There are several types of reactions triggered by allergens.

Hay Fever

It is usually caused by pollen grain from plants. It is commonly addressed as seasonal allergic rhinitis, whereas it is one of the most common reactions. Its symptoms are associated with the ear, eye, throat, and sinuses.

Biologically, it is brought about by the inflammation and swelling of your sinuses and conjunctiva lining. Hay fever is caused by aero-allergens: air-mediated allergens. Its possible symptoms are congestion, watery eyes and nose, itchy mouth, and shortness of breath.

Food Allergy

A lot of queries have been thrown on food allergy and food intolerance. They’re two different reactions in the body. Food allergy is an overreaction posed by your immune system against a protein thought to be harmful.

In contrast, food intolerance is the chemical reaction that occurs after a meal. IgE overreacts to certain foods to cause an allergy. So, food allergy is different from food intolerance. Several foods have the tendency to cause an allergy, but there are few types of food specified as allergens. They include milk, soy, egg, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.

The reaction is distinguishable between adults and children. Food intolerance has only been due to the absence of a particular enzyme in your gastrointestinal tract. Every reaction which develops after your meal is subjected to the surrounding substance.

In most cases, it is genetic. If any constituent of your family has an allergy, you are at a considerable risk of developing one. Additionally, food allergy starts immediately when the food comes in contact with your digestive tract, whereas food intolerance might take a while before its reaction, sometimes 12 hours to 24 hours after you’ve taken the food.

It might start with an itching mouth, a burning sensation, or the swelling of your face, followed by diarrhea, skin rashes, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. Food allergy can affect your eyes, nose, mouth, throat, digestive system, skin, lungs, and central nervous system. It can develop into life-threatening symptoms: anaphylaxis, and it is advisable to keep your doctor informed to wade off the worse.

Pet Allergy

This reaction is commonly associated with domestic animals: cats and dogs. Every pet has an allergy associated with it. Allergy is usually developed in animals with fur and skin flakes, just as a result of the protein constituent produced in their skin, which is given off through the dander and saliva. Individuals with this allergy secrete IgE antibodies in great amounts after sensing a pet.

The first encounter with the allergens might not trigger an overreaction, but coming in contact after the initial contact could elevate your sensitivity. Here, your antibodies misinterpret it and mask other protecting cells. These other cells are responsible for the unpleasant symptoms afterward.

Symptoms include itching, swelling, inflammatory response, or mucus secretion.

Washing your pets regularly and purifying the air in your home with HEPA filtration are ways of prevention, but it is well controlled if you keep the pets away from your home.

Insect Allergy

Wasps, bees, hornets, ants, and other stinging sets of insects release venom into their victim, which causes hypersensitivity in the individual. Likewise, biting insects releases anticoagulants which also alter the body’s response.

One of the complications related to insect allergy is asthma. Normally, an insect bite or sting develops into swelling, itching, pain, and swelling, but the proteinous foreign substance makes the symptoms more difficult, sometimes life-threatening: difficulty in breathing, rapid pulse, anxiety, swelling face, mouth, and leg.

Furthermore, the habitation of dust mites in household materials like mattresses and carpets can result in allergic reactions. They live in warm, humid places. Dust mites’ droppings contain digestive enzymes responsible for a sensitivity reaction leading to ‘wheezing’ symptoms. Other common symptoms include asthma, itching, and eczema.

Latex Allergy

This is a rare reaction in the mass, with an estimated value of 1 out of 1000 people. IgE is triggered by industrial chemical products. In the case of researchers, factory workers or patients with frequent exposure to latex products might have an overreaction to latex, where there is the inhalation of allergens. Products like gloves, condoms, balloons, and rubber gloves.

Dermatitis is medically delayed by hypersensitive reactions. It has a dry, crusted lesion display on the skin, which stays for about 3 to 4 days. Latex reactions can be prevented. No specific form of treatment has been discovered or developed.

Complications of Allergies

• Allergic rhinitis: it affects the airways. Mostly from trees, weeds, or grass. It changes with the season because of the absence and presence of pollen plants. It has a nasal allergy and hay fever symptoms like runny and stuffy nose, itchy nose and ear, sneezing, and throat clearing.
• Asthma: A chronic respiratory illness where the airways may become unpredictable and abruptly narrow, frequently as a result of an allergy, exercise, cold air, or mental stress. Shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and wheezing are among the symptoms.
• Anaphylaxis: This is an emergent allergic reaction and a life-threatening one. An uncontrolled allergy tends to develop into anaphylaxis. It impacts the whole body. Its symptoms are nasal congestion, hypotension, itching skin, lightheadedness, swelling mouth, abdominal pain, and fainting.

Treatment of Allergies

Treating an allergy depends on the type of allergy. Most of these treatments do not get rid of the allergy, but it helps to keep off the symptoms. The best type of treatment is avoidance, keeping away anything that can trigger it.

There are several treatments for allergies, but they must be attempted with the full conscience of your medical doctor.

Medications:

• Antihistamines e.g. Allegra, cetirizine (zyrtec)
• Over-the-counter and prescribed drugs for allergy symptoms: topical nasal
• Corticosteroids: flonase, nasonex, cromolyn sodium, topical nasal antihistamines
• Loratadine (Claritin)
• Decongestant e.g. sudafed contact.
• Asthma medications:
• Inhaled bronchodilator and oral bronchodilator (theophylline)
• Inhaled steroids
• Oral anti-leukotrienes (montelukast)
• Injected medications such as Mepolizumab (nucala), omalizumab (xolair), dupilumab (dupixent), reslizumab (cingair), benralizumab (fazenda)
• Zafirlukast (accolate), zileuton (zyflo) and singulair.

Take note: Singulair medications can only be recommended when other forms of treatment are not effective, and it must be done by medical professionals.

Immunotherapy

This type of treatment attends to allergies whose symptoms are not effectively controlled. It requires monitored usage. It is also referred to as “allergy shot therapy.” Not only that, but it is commonly used for asthma and rhinitis control.

Epinephrine Shot

This is an emergency approach to control life-threatening symptoms. It is recommended for a severe form of allergy. It is always injected into the body system to hold the body before medical help arrives. Epinephrine shots include the EpiPen and Twinject.

Conclusion

Staying away from allergens is considered the best act of defense against allergies. It must be well managed to avert the associated dangers. The choice is left to your willpower to either make use of the preventive measures or prevent the worse. Stay safe and stay healthy.