Allergies occur when your immune system identifies harmless substances as threats and reacts with symptoms in your skin, sinuses or airways as a response.
Food allergies typically appear during childhood. While they may subside by adulthood, keeping a food allergy diary will allow you to monitor when symptoms appear.
Symptoms
Allergies cause symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and congestion; left untreated these symptoms may become more severe and even impact other parts of the body.
All allergies begin when your immune system mistakes a harmless substance for something dangerous and creates antibodies to stay alert for it, leading to histamine release into your bloodstream and stimulating other cells to respond accordingly, leading to allergy symptoms. Common allergens include airborne pollen, animal dander and mold; foods like milk, peanuts, fish shellfish eggs wheat latex as well as medications such as penicillin.
Your allergies can have devastating effects on multiple organs and cause symptoms to last for weeks or months after exposure to an allergen has subsided. Severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis require immediate medical intervention to ensure survival.
Keep a diary of your symptoms to identify allergy triggers and then work with your physician to avoid them. For example, if you suffer from pollen allergies during high pollen counts, keep windows closed during those times to protect yourself; with dust mite allergies, vacuum frequently and use “mite-proof” covers on mattresses, pillows and box springs as potential remedies.
Causes
Allergies result when our immune systems mistakenly label something normally harmless as dangerous invaders. When faced with allergens, your body responds by producing immunoglobulin E (IgE). Once exposed to an allergen, IgE antibodies bind with mast cells living in skin tissue, nasal mucus membranes, sinuses, throat, hollow organs linking mouth and anus (gastrointestinal or GI tract), hollow organs connecting mouth to anus (GI tract), hollow organs connecting mouth and anus (GI tract), when confronted again they release histamine and other chemicals responsible for symptoms resulting in allergic symptoms.
Allergens can include airborne pollen and animal dander; food allergens like peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and dairy products; as well as medicines including penicillin and certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Other causes for allergies can be family history of allergies or conditions such as childhood asthma or atopy (comprising hay fever, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis – more commonly referred to as eczema); smoking as well as environmental factors like pollution or cigarette smoke exposure.
Allergies may occur at specific times each year, such as spring and fall peaks, or more regularly throughout a given year – such as during an unusually rainy spring or early summer. Dust mite, pet dander and food allergies may become lifelong allergies; children from families that have history with such issues are more likely to develop them themselves; though eventually these allergies may dissipate over time.
Treatment
Allergies can be treated through medication, avoidance of allergens and immunotherapy (allergy shots). The goal is to build up tolerance to these allergens over time.
Antihistamines are among the most frequently prescribed allergy medications, reducing symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing by blocking your immune system’s release of histamine and relieving congestion and itching. Decongestants such as cromolyn and leukotriene receptor antagonists may help relieve congestion and itching as well. Nasal sprays like Fluticasone or Zafirlukast may be prescribed over-the-counter; alternatively intranasal corticosteroids provide superior treatment of inflammation in and mucus production within your nose – they’re available both over-the-counter for intranasal corticosteroids can treat inflammation while stimulating mucus production – although only prescription can offer effective results when dealing with inflammation intranasal corticosteroids are proven effective and mucus production within nose – these medications come available both over-the-counter as nasal sprays as well as tablets to swallow for intranasal corticosteroids provide treatment of inflammation as they’re available both pre and precript to relieve it.
Immunotherapy may be an option for those with severe allergies or who do not respond well to other treatments. After your allergist identifies which allergens you are sensitive to, he or she will provide allergy shots containing small doses of allergens to train your immune system not to overreact when exposed. These shots may take the form of injections over a longer timeframe (usually years) while alternative approaches like sublingual immunotherapy offer similar relief.
Doctors can identify allergies by reviewing your medical history, conducting physical exams and running skin or blood tests. To assist in the process, keep a symptom diary that documents when and where allergy symptoms arise.
Prevention
An allergist can help you safely identify allergy triggers and manage them effectively, as well as recommend treatments like antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays, eye drops or creams that reduce symptoms.
Allergies can have a devastating effect on your quality of life. Pollen allergies in particular can significantly limit outdoor activities during peak seasons, force you to miss work or school and cause chronic sinusitis which causes persistent facial pressure, pain and congestion. Allergies may also interfere with sleep cycles causing fatigued days at work or school.
Allergic reactions occur when your immune system mistakes harmless substances like pet dander, pollen and mold for harmful threats that require defense mechanisms to deal with effectively. Once your immune system recognizes an allergen, it creates antibodies to identify it again and send signals to cause an allergic response – whether that means sneezing, itchy eyes and skin, runny nose, rashes or hives. Allergic reactions can also be triggered by certain foods, like peanuts or shellfish; drugs (penicillin); latex products; and insect stings. Most allergies begin during childhood or puberty but can appear at any age – some dissipate over time while others persist permanently; they may worsen if your immune system becomes overstimulated by viruses and infections that overload it further.
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