Allergies are immune system reactions to irritants that normally don’t cause a problem. The reaction causes the immune system to make antibodies that tag an allergen and turn on mast cells to release chemicals, including histamine, which produce common allergy symptoms like a runny nose or sneezing.
Living with allergies can be challenging, but a healthcare provider can help you discover your allergy triggers and create a plan to manage them.
Symptoms
Have you suddenly found yourself sneezing on a spring day? Or do you break out in hives after eating peanut butter? Allergies can affect people of any age, gender or socioeconomic status. They can occur for the first time or recur after years in remission. Allergies can be extremely disruptive to a person’s life, causing fatigue and making it difficult to concentrate. They can also trigger feelings of stress and anxiety, especially when they prevent people from enjoying activities or socializing.
Allergies are a result of the immune system’s overreaction to substances that it perceives as dangerous. The body creates antibodies that attach to cells in the nose, eyes and lungs to fight the allergens. This results in a variety of symptoms, depending on the allergen and where it enters the body. Allergens that are breathed in often cause a runny, stuffy nose or sinus headaches; itchy, watery, red and swollen eyes; sneezing, coughing and wheezing. Allergens that are ingested may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping and diarrhea or a severe life-threatening reaction called anaphylactic shock.
To find out if you have allergies, visit your primary care doctor or a board-certified allergist-immunologist. Your physician or allergist will ask about your history and conduct a physical exam. Allergists also use skin tests and blood work to determine what you’re allergic to.
Triggers
Allergies occur when your immune system mistakes a normally harmless substance, such as pollen grains or pet dander (skin cells from animals with fur or feathers), for a dangerous invader. The immune system responds by creating antibodies that attack the allergen, releasing chemicals that cause allergy symptoms. The most common allergic responses affect the nose, airways and eyes (allergic rhinitis). Allergies can also cause gastrointestinal or skin reactions.
Symptoms are usually mild but can be severe. They can interfere with sleep and decrease concentration, causing fatigue or depression. Allergies can also make existing medical conditions worse, such as sinus problems or eczema.
Certain behaviors and environmental factors may increase the risk of allergies. Inhaling smoke or chemical irritants at work, school or home can trigger allergic reactions. A family history of allergies or asthma can lead to them being more severe or frequent.
Many people first experience allergy symptoms during childhood. Some grow out of them, but others experience them throughout their lives. It’s believed that being exposed to a wide variety of substances early in life helps prevent some allergies. This theory is called the “hygiene hypothesis.”
Treatment
Allergies are uncomfortable at the very least, and can cause a variety of symptoms, such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, a rash or hives. Symptoms may be mild to moderate or severe, and can even be life-threatening in extreme cases like anaphylaxis (an-ay-FLEK-sis).
If you have allergies, treatment options include avoidance, medications and immunotherapy. Your allergist-immunologist will review your medical history, examine you and do tests to identify the triggers of your allergy symptoms.
Antihistamines are the most common allergy medications and work by blocking histamine release, relieving symptoms such as sneezing, itchy, runny nose or a rash. Your allergist may also prescribe other allergy medications such as nasal sprays to relieve congestion or steroids to reduce inflammation. Lastly, your allergist may recommend immunotherapy or allergy shots, which involve regular injections of purified allergen extracts to build up a tolerance over time.
Allergies can significantly affect your quality of life, especially if your symptoms are chronic and not under control. Fatigue and brain fog caused by allergy symptoms can make it hard to concentrate at work or school, which can have a negative impact on your performance and lead to stress and depression. Untreated allergies can also lead to ear infections, which can interfere with hearing and speech development in children, as well as cardiovascular strain due to frequent asthma attacks or breathing difficulties.
Prevention
Sneezing and itchy eyes are a nuisance for anyone who suffers from allergies. But for those suffering from more severe symptoms, these inconveniences can significantly impact daily life and overall health. Allergies, which affect over 50 million Americans, can lead to a wide range of conditions, including atopic dermatitis (eczema), food allergy, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma. They may also lead to other, more serious health problems, such as sinus infections and respiratory distress.
Allergies can develop at any age, and they tend to run in families. They may also appear as part of a “topic march” — a progression of allergies that typically starts early in childhood with atopic dermatitis, then moves on to food allergy, allergic rhinitis and eventually asthma.
While it is not always possible to prevent allergies, there are some strategies that can help. For example, avoiding known allergens can decrease symptoms, but that’s not always easy to do. Keeping an allergy diary can be helpful, as well as keeping a medical alert bracelet or necklace that notes you have epinephrine auto-injectors in case of a reaction.
Other strategies include getting regular exercise and managing stress. And it’s important to avoid smoking or having children who smoke, as those behaviors can increase a person’s risk of developing allergies. For the most severe symptoms, a visit to an allergist can help.
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