Allergies: Understanding the Basics
When people think of allergies, some of the very first things that come to mind include a lot of sneezing, wheezing, and awful rashes. Though the picture of a person with an allergy can be really clear to most of us, it is rare for people to really know what an allergy is. Also known as hypersensitivity, allergy is an abnormal response of the immune system to a usually harmless substance that, therefore, does not bother most people. These substances called as allergens may include almost anything, but the most common allergens are animal dander, mold, dust mites, and, of course, pollen.
Allergies are very common. In fact, there are at least two out of every 10 Americans who experience allergy symptoms. But what really happens when a person’s immune system reacts to an allergen? Allergy symptoms can manifest in one form or another, but the most common of which involves sinuses, digestive system, and, of course, skin. The severity of the symptoms varies from one person to another; a mild case of hay fever may cause minor irritations while an exposure to bee sting toxin can lead to anaphylaxis — a severe type 1 hypersensitivity reaction responsible for at least 1,500 deaths per year in U.S. alone.
Allergy symptoms are essentially prompted or triggered by the release of histamines and activation of basophils and mast cells. The body, particularly our immune system, produces a particular type of protein known as lgE antibodies. Protecting our body from substances that can cause infections and diseases, these antibodies are essential for a strong, resilient immune system. A person with allergies, on the other hand, has “sensitive” antibodies that mark a particular substance as allergen even though it doesn’t, in general, pose a threat to the body. Once the antibodies have identified the allergen, it will trigger the release of histamines and other substances that, then, will manifest as allergy symptoms.
The most common allergy triggers include:
- Foods, particularly wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, egg, soy, and milk;
- Latex, and other substances that can cause allergic skin reactions
- Insect stings, such as those induced by wasp and bees
- Airborne allergens, such as dust mites, pollen, mold, and animal dander
- Medications, particularly penicillin-based antibiotics
As a person’s reaction to allergens vary, so does allergy triggers. Almost anything can trigger and bring about an allergic reaction. A person’s allergic reactions is unique even though he is allergic to the very same substance another is allergic to.
Since allergens are everywhere, and almost anything can be an allergen to a person to another, does this mean that everyone has allergies? Not really. All people are genetically predisposed to be allergic. A person’s risk of developing certain types of allergies is determined by family history, age, and certain respiratory conditions like asthma.
When a person is allergic, he essentially increases his child’s risk of developing allergies by up to 50%. This risk essentially increases to 75% when a person’s parents both have allergies. Another risk factor to developing allergies is one’s age. Though a person can develop allergies at any point in his life, children are more likely to develop an allergy than adults. Having respiratory conditions like asthma essentially exposes a person to developing allergies as having one type of allergic condition to certain allergens increases the chances of the person being allergic to something else.
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