Discover ways to manage allergies safely throughout your lifetime, from infancy through adulthood. Access resources for managing food, drug and environmental allergies while dining out, socializing or traveling.
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to substances that should normally not cause any reactions in most people, like pollen or pet dander, leading to chemical production that inflames skin, sinuses or airways.
What Causes Allergies?
People with allergies typically have an overactive immune system that reacts too strongly to substances which wouldn’t typically be harmful, like pollen or certain foods. Their bodies produce proteins called antibodies to attack these allergens – often pollen or certain foods – creating antibodies which bind with specific cells on skin, mucus membranes or airways (lungs) to release chemicals which trigger symptoms; often mild but potentially life-threatening in severe cases.
As soon as an allergen enters your system, your immune system produces immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to respond. Once attached to mast cells (specialized cells that produce histamine), these IgE antibodies bind with it and trigger those mast cells to release histamine as well as other chemicals responsible for allergy symptoms.
Allergies can be caused by various sources, including foods, medications, pollen, pet dander and bee venom. Young children tend to suffer most frequently; allergies often run in families. Certain environmental triggers like dust mites or smoke may also trigger these allergies in certain individuals.
Seasonal allergies are usually caused by trees, grasses and weeds that produce pollen during spring and summer, or they could be irritants such as fumes from paint, cleaning products and hairspray products.
What Are the Symptoms of Allergies?
Allergies affect skin, eyes, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system systems and are one of the leading causes of long-term illness in the US, from mild to severe reactions requiring medical assistance immediately. Allergies account for 6th most long-term illness cases annually in America and range in severity from mild to life threatening anaphylaxis reactions which necessitate immediate medical intervention.
As soon as an allergen enters our bodies, it causes our immune systems to produce antibodies to fight it off. When these antibodies bind with an allergen and release chemicals such as histamine – leading to allergic symptoms including sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose or itchy throat (and possibly wheezing or coughing for some people) Allergens can be found anywhere from dust mites, pets, pollen, mold spores insects foods or medications and so on.
Genes or family history can predispose some people to allergies. Others develop them over time if they had eczema or asthma as children; allergies tend to be more prevalent among children than adults but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll develop allergies as adults.
If you suffer from allergies, keeping a diary to monitor what might make them worse or better can help. OTC medicines like antihistamines and decongestants may provide relief; if symptoms interfere with daily life or are severe enough for diagnosis, an allergist who specializes in allergies can conduct tests to diagnose and prescribe appropriate medication – possibly including an emergency epinephrine auto-injector to carry with you just in case an allergy attack arises.
What Can I Do to Manage My Allergies?
If allergies are disrupting your quality of life, there are steps that you can take. Allergy relief may be possible through natural methods like breathing in steam and using nasal sprays; also making sure your living environment remains free from allergens is key for effective allergy relief.
At the same time, it is also crucial to recognize and avoid your allergy triggers whenever possible. One method for doing this may include noting when your symptoms appear and what improves or worsens them; for instance, those allergic to pollen often notice their symptoms worsen during spring and summer when grass and weed pollen is abundant; similarly if your allergies include mold spores it could worsen during fall and winter seasons.
As one method to ease allergy symptoms, taking a hot shower or bath with steam can help loosen congestion and wash away allergens from skin or hair surfaces.
Reducing allergy triggers at home is simple with regular vacuuming of carpets, removal of dust mites and pet dander using natural cleaning solutions without harsh chemicals and installing exhaust fans in bathrooms to decrease moisture that promotes mold spores and other allergens. If allergies become an ongoing problem for you, consult your physician who may suggest over-the-counter antihistamines such as Allegra, Claritin or Zyrtec, nasal sprays with decongestants such as Afrin, or injections as an alternative; Medical Services also has clinics dedicated to supporting students receiving allergy shots on campus.
How Can I Get Help?
Allergies can impose an enormous strain on multiple aspects of life. Constant discomfort, having to limit outdoor activities during allergy season and diet restrictions may contribute to fatigue and reduced productivity at school or work – and in more serious cases food allergies could even be life-threatening.
Allergy symptoms can also cause psychological trauma, leading to feelings of isolation and worry in parents of food-allergic children. Parents also often express worry over trusting other friends or family members to care for them safely; food allergy bullying has become a serious threat for families in recent years and has been associated with negative consequences like decreased self-esteem in schools.
If you or someone in your care have chronic allergies, seeking professional assistance for managing symptoms and developing a plan to deal with allergens is essential. An allergist can provide allergy testing to identify which substances elicit allergic reactions, prescribe appropriate medication and, should a severe reaction arise, recommend an epinephrine injector as necessary. At any age or stage of life, living with allergies is difficult and should always be treated as such. Practice self-compassion while informing others of your journey so they can act as support systems and breaking allergen management tasks down into smaller steps can make things feel less overwhelming.
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