There are several categories of allergies, including food and seasonal. Allergies cause the body’s immune system to have an abnormal response to factors in the environment. According to WebMD, allergies affect two out of 10 people in the United States. Allergies are often inherited by family members, with children being 50% more prone to have the same allergy of their parents.
Allergies can be caused by almost any substance, if the body’s immune system can not properly process the substance. The most common allergens are dust, pollen, mold or pet dander. Food allergies are much different and each person can be allergic to a different type of food or food family. The most common foods that people are allergic to are peanuts, dairy, eggs, tree nuts, seafood, shellfish, soy and wheat. These foods are commonly referred to as the “Big Eight”.
Allergens can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Mild reactions could include a rash, itchy or watery eyes, or sneezing. Mild reactions are contained and do not spread to other parts of the body. Moderate reactions are the same symptoms of mild reactions, but they spread to various parts of the body. A moderate reaction could also include itching or problems with breathing. Severe reactions are not as common, but can be life-threatening. Many times, the severe reactions begin with the symptoms of a mild or moderate and quickly escalate to include symptoms of abdominal pain, swelling or difficulty breathing.
The type of allergy treatment differs depending on where the allergy is occurring. If possible, refraining from being exposed to the allergen is the easiest way to control allergy attacks. If an allergy is caused by something in the air, there are several types of treatments available. Allergy shots may be given to assist with the bodies ability to tolerate the allergen. For a quicker, over-the-counter alternative an antihistamine or decongestant may be taken. An antihistamine works by stopping the bodies immune system from creating histamine, which enlarges blood vessels, causing redness, swelling and itching. One of the downfalls of taking an antihistamine is many cause drowsiness. A decongestant works by shrinking swollen nasal tissues, curing the symptoms of stuffy nose, runny nose and head congestion. Although a product may say it is non-drowsy, it may still cause drowsiness in some people. When looking for a long-term solution to allergies, the easiest and most convenient way to cure allergy symptoms is by receiving an allergy shot from a doctor. When taking medications to ease the effects of an allergy, do not mix medications without first checking with a doctor or pharmacist. The mixture of some medications can cause adverse effects.
In order to test a person for an allergy, a physician may do a full physical, checking the skin, eyes, nose, throat and ears. If the physician would like to pinpoint the allergen, a skin test may be completed. This is done by creating a graft on the back and injecting different types of allergens into each square. The allergens placed in the body are small enough to not cause a severe reaction, but give the physician enough information to gather which give a reaction.
