Life with allergies is challenging. The limitations it places on daily activities and lifestyle, coupled with exposure to allergens can create anxiety and depression in those living with them.
Allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to usually harmless substances, such as food, medications, insect stings, environmental allergens like pollen or mold and chemical allergens.
What is an Allergy?
Allergies arise when our immune systems overreact to something normally harmless – such as pollen, pet dander or certain foods – like pollen. When this happens, proteins called antibodies are produced that mark invaders as potentially dangerous even though it’s harmless; upon coming in contact with an allergen such as pollen or food particles, the antibodies cause other cells to release chemicals which trigger symptoms of an allergic response such as swelling, itching or breathing issues.
Allergic reactions may range in severity from mild to life-threatening. Anaphylaxis is one of the more serious reactions, which causes tightness in the throat, difficulty breathing and hives – it requires immediate medical treatment in hospital with an injection of adrenaline (epinephrine).
People may either be born with allergies, or develop them during childhood. Some allergies go away as children age, while others remain lifelong conditions.
Doctors can diagnose an allergy by conducting an exam that examines skin, blood and nasal areas for signs of inflammation. They may ask the individual to avoid certain foods for two to four weeks at a time before slowly reintroducing them, to see which ones cause symptoms. Finally, allergists often use food challenges as another method for diagnosis.
Symptoms of Allergies
People suffering from allergies may exhibit various symptoms depending on the nature and severity of their allergy. Airborne allergens like dust mites, mold spores, pollen, pets, hay fever medications or certain foods can trigger runny noses, itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion sinus pressure itchy throat ears hives while food allergies cause nausea vomiting abdominal cramping diarrhea severe life-threatening reactions including anaphylaxis which requires swift action with an epipen injection to be effectively managed before.
Allergy symptoms typically appear within minutes after exposure to allergens, with mild symptoms typically being easily treated by over-the-counter antihistamines or over-the-counter medicines like benadryl. More serious allergies, like EoE (Eosinophilic Esophagitis) which affects the lining of the esophagus can be more difficult and even life-threatening to manage.
Some individuals with food allergies also suffer from oral allergy syndrome, causing itchy mouth and throat after eating raw fruits and vegetables. Because this form of allergy does not always produce similar symptoms as other allergies, diagnosis can be difficult. To obtain a correct diagnosis for food allergies, one should visit an allergist who will perform an examination and ask pertinent questions regarding when and how the symptoms manifest themselves; they may suggest keeping a food diary to help identify foods which cause allergic reactions.
Prevention
Sneezing during allergy season or itchy eyes around pets – allergies may be annoying, but they’re actually an indicator that your immune system is responding appropriately and protecting against harmful invaders. Left untreated, allergies could even pose more serious health issues than initially anticipated.
Avoiding allergens that trigger allergies is the ideal way to protect against allergies, but this may seem more challenging when dealing with food-based allergies. Luckily, there are resources available that can assist you in planning ahead and limiting exposure to allergens.
An experienced healthcare provider can perform allergy testing to identify which allergens are triggering your symptoms, and prescribe antihistamines or steroids as needed to ease inflammation caused by allergies. If there is a risk of severe allergies, however, your physician may also provide you with an epinephrine injector in case an anaphylactic attack arises.
Avoiding allergy triggers is just as essential to good health as taking medicine for them. For airborne allergies, make sure you check the pollen count before heading outdoors and keep windows closed when levels are high.
As for food allergies, read labels carefully and make smart purchases when shopping. In addition, consult a dietitian or nutritionist who can offer tips to manage your allergy effectively while providing guidance as to how you can still get all of the essential vitamins and nutrients despite having difficulty eating certain foods.
Treatment
Allergies can produce symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Common ones include watery eyes, runny nose or sneezing, itchy rashes or hives and difficulty breathing – sometimes these allergies even lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis reactions that require hospitalization for medical treatment.
Management of allergies is an ongoing journey, but treatments exist that can provide comfort and allow you to live at your highest. An allergist will work closely with you to devise an individualised plan designed to ease symptoms while preventing further allergic reactions in the future.
First step to managing allergies is avoiding contact with allergens that aggravate symptoms. Your healthcare provider may suggest medication such as antihistamines and corticosteroids to ease immune system inflammation and alleviate symptoms; these drugs can be taken either in pills, liquid form or nasal spray form.
Your doctor may suggest immunotherapy, which involves gradually exposing you to small doses of the allergen over a number of months to alter your immune response and create tolerance. Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy or SCIT) are the most frequently utilized form of immunotherapy.
Some individuals may be prescribed leukotriene modifiers such as montelukast, zafirlukast or zileuton to reduce production of inflammatory substances that cause allergy symptoms in your body. Allergies can impact all aspects of life; from physical activities and socializing to sleeping well and more.
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