Allergies involve an immune response in the body to things such as plant pollen, other grasses and weeds, certain foods, rubber latex, insect bites, or certain drugs. Estimates suggest that allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States. Nearly 10% of American women have pollen allergies. Allergic drug reactions, commonly caused by antibiotics such as penicillin, occur in 2%-3% of hospitalized patients. Severe allergic reaction to insect stings occurs in up to 5% of the population. Although most people have experienced a reaction to something they have eaten, only 1% of the adult population suffers from true immune reactions to food.
Allergic reaction
A. Normally, the immune system is the body’s defence against invading agents such as bacteria and viruses. In most allergic reactions, however, the immune system is responding to a false alarm. When an allergic person first comes into contact with an allergen, the immune system treats the allergen as an invader and mobilizes to attack. The immune system does this by generating large amounts of one type of antibody. When the allergen and the antibody connect, it signals the release of powerful inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals, like histamines, cytokines, and leukotrienes, act on the tissues of various parts of the body, such as the respiratory system. The result is the symptoms commonly associated with allergies.
Common symptoms
- Sneezing, often accompanied by a runny or clogged nose
- Coughing and postnasal drip
- Itching eyes, nose, and throat
- Watering eyes
- Allergic dermatitis: an itchy rash. (The most common skin condition in children ages 11- 14.)
- Allergic shiners: dark circles under the eyes caused by increased blood flow near the sinuses
- Allergic salute: persistent upward rubbing of the nose that causes a crease mark on the nose
- Conjunctivitis: an inflammation of the membrane that lines the eyelids, causing red-rimmed, swollen eyes, and crusting of the eyelids. Commonly known as pink eye.
- Some people with allergies develop asthma. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath due to a narrowing of the bronchial passages (airways) in the lungs, and to excess mucus production and inflammation. Asthma can be disabling and sometimes can be fatal. If wheezing and shortness of breath accompany allergy symptoms, it is a signal that the bronchial tubes also have become involved, indicating the need for medical attention. Some people may have severe food allergies which left undiagnosed can result in illness or in rare cases, may even be fatal.
Most common allergies
The most common allergies can be either food allergies or airborne allergies. Airborne allergies include reaction due to pollen, mold, dust mites, animals, and chemicals. The most common foods causing allergic reactions in adults are: shellfish (such as shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab); peanuts, which are one of the chief foods to cause severe anaphylactic reactions; tree nuts (such as walnuts); fish; and eggs. In children, the most common food allergies are associated with eggs, milk, and peanuts. Adults generally don’t lose food allergies, but children may outgrow them..
Treatments of Allergies
Allergies are usually treated in three possible ways. Some of these methods can be used alone or in combination.
Avoidance: This is most effective for food allergies. Once the allergen is identified, it can be avoided simply by removing it from the diet. Avoidance is more difficult for airborne allergens, however, which are often associated with a particular climate and environment.
Medications: Several oral antihistamine medications are available over-the-counter or by a doctor’s prescription. A combination of antihistamines and nasal steroids can effectively treat allergic symptoms, especially in people with moderate or severe allergic symptoms. Oral and nasal decongestants reduce congestion sometimes caused by an allergic reaction. However, most medications are for short-term relief only. Nose drops and sprays should not be used for more than a few days at a time because they can lead to even more congestion and swelling of the nasal passages. If you find you “can’t get through the day” without regular use of nasal sprays – see your doctor, and if you can, an allergy specialist. (For example, an ear, nose, and throat doctor.)
Immunotherapy: This is a series of allergy shots, and is the only available treatment that has a chance of reducing allergy symptoms over the long term. About 80 per cent of people with hay fever will have a significant reduction in their symptoms and in their need for medication within 12 months of starting allergy shots.
Discussion about this post