Living with Allergies can be challenging for those experiencing seasonal or year-round symptoms, limiting activities and social gatherings as well as leading to fatigue and reducing focus at school or work.
Allergies are immune system overreactions to harmless substances like pollen or pet dander that cause the release of chemicals that lead to symptoms like sneezing, itching and swelling.
Food Allergies
Food allergies can be serious health threats, so it’s vitally important to take them seriously. An allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly recognizes certain foods as threats like bacteria or viruses and releases chemicals which attack targeted areas in the body such as skin, nose throat lungs hives or hoarse voices – the latter rarely leads to severe reactions such as anaphylaxis which drops blood pressure and blocks airways.
Food allergies can occur for various reasons, though milk, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and wheat are the most prevalent allergens. Other items can also cause reactions but these tend to occur less often. A person of any age may develop food allergies; those with a family history of allergies or asthma are especially prone to them.
Doctors can identify food allergies through allergy skin tests or blood tests. A provider will prick your skin with small amounts of your suspected allergen to see how you react, while in blood tests your levels of antibodies will be measured for different allergens. Other tests may be administered as well, including stomach exams or food challenges where increasing amounts of the suspect allergen will be fed until symptoms appear.
Pet Allergies
As with people, pets may also suffer from allergies to proteins found in their hair and skin – commonly referred to as pet dander. Dander is released whenever an animal grooms itself, licks its fur or is touched by people, floating into the air where it can be inhaled by susceptible individuals who experience symptoms such as itching or chronic ear infections as a result of inhaling it.
However, allergies to other species such as hamsters, rabbits, horses or guinea pigs may also trigger symptoms. Pet allergies can begin at any age in life and it’s not unusual for someone who previously showed no sign of being sensitive to have sudden allergic reactions to one of their own family pets.
As with other allergic reactions, the primary treatment for pet allergies should be avoidance. While this can be challenging in families who are attached to their animals, exposure can usually be reduced by having your home professionally cleaned and by taking measures like removing carpeting and upholstery furniture as well as antihistamine medications that reduce inflammation and itching. If symptoms continue after these steps have been taken then finding another home for your animal might be necessary; especially important if cats shed more dander.
Dust Allergies
Dust mites are microscopic organisms found living in bedding, mattresses and box springs as well as in upholstered furniture and carpeting, feeding off dead skin cells from both people and animals alike. Their allergenic presence can trigger allergic rhinitis, sinusitis or even hives in people sensitive to them and could even exacerbate asthma symptoms.
Dust mite allergens entering a person’s respiratory system can trigger them to sneeze and wheeze, as well as cause nose and throat irritation, leading to dryness and inflammation. Longer exposure can erode away at the epithelium lining their nasal passages, leading to chronic sinusitis that blocks sinuses as well as atrophic rhinitis in which nasal turbinates harden and thin with time.
Dust mite allergies typically arise during childhood or puberty. Should their child experience dust allergies, parents should work together with an interprofessional team of allergy specialists, otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat specialists), and pulmonologists in order to ensure accurate diagnosis, education, and management of their condition.
To manage dust allergies, regularly wash all bedding in hot water – sheets, pillowcases, blankets – including sheets, pillowcases and blankets. Utilize tightly woven allergy-proof covers on mattresses and pillows, double thickness vacuum bags and use HEPA filters when vacuuming frequently. Also try keeping pets off beds, using a dehumidifier and adding anti-inflammatory foods such as berries, oranges, apples and leafy green vegetables into your diet while omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, walnuts and flaxseeds may help decrease inflammation further.
Asthma
While allergies and asthma share many of the same symptoms, they are distinct conditions. While asthma involves inflammation of and narrowing of airways resulting in frequent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing – often brought on by irritation from mucus buildup in the airways as a result of postnasal drip.
With allergies, the immune system responds to things it considers invaders such as pollen, pet dander and dust mites by producing immunoglobulin E (IgE). These antibodies cause other cells to release chemicals including histamine into the bloodstream causing common allergy symptoms like runny noses, itchy eyes and skin rashes.
Certain individuals are predisposed to allergic asthma, a more serious and chronic form of the condition. Diagnosing asthma often involves performing physical exams, gathering personal and family medical history information, lung function testing and blood samples; additionally if you’re diagnosed with asthma it’s a good idea to keep a symptom diary so your doctor can identify what triggers your symptoms; additionally it could help find ways to reduce exposure. An allergist may recommend allergy immunotherapy treatment using injections or sublingual tablets that dissolve under your tongue to make less sensitive your body is against specific allergens.
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