An allergy is an unusually high sensitivity to a substance that is generally harmless. When a person with an allergy against a substance comes into contact with it, his or her immune system treats the substance as a dangerous invader, which causes the body to go into hardcore defense mode. The white blood cells produce IgE antibodies, which then attach themselves to mast cells. This results in increased production of histamine, which creates the itching, sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes all too familiar to allergy sufferers. The most common allergies are against insect stings, insect droppings, medications, certain foods (ie – wheat allergies), pollens, molds, household dust mites, and animal dander. Some patients are allergic to more than one of these substances
Typical Allergy Syptoms
Many people suffer from allergies to airborne particles, and many others have food or skin contact allergies. Whatever the type of allergy, many of the symptoms are the same, symptoms that often drive people to distraction. Many people have purchase home air purifiers in an effort to remove allergens, while other people take antihistamines to prevent allergic reactions.
Allergies occur when the body rejects a foreign substance, whether that substance is inhaled, swallowed, or simply touched. Whether you are allergic to ragweed, peanut butter, or bee stings, the common denominator is that the body lacks the necessary enzymes and proteins to deal with the allergen, and this causes a variety of symptoms. For airborne allergens, the most common symptoms are sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and even coughing. Many people with hay fever are very familiar with these symptoms, but there may be other symptoms as well, including headaches, nausea, fatigue, heart palpitations, and even depression.
Severe allergies can cause anaphylaxis, a form of shock that requires immediate medical attention. Anaphylaxis is most commonly treated with a shot of epinephrine, and people who suffer from severe allergies may even carry their own epi-pen to treat allergic episodes. Contact allergies typically cause visible reactions on the skin, such as hives, rashes, and a general reddening of the skin. All forms of allergies may also lead to joint pain, muscles aches, or shortness of breath. Many people also experience behavioral symptoms such as irritability when they encounter with allergens.
How The Body Fights Allergies
When your body detects that these allergens have entered your system, whether through the respiratory system, the digestive system, or through skin contact, it immediately begins developing antibodies to “meet the threat” that these allergens pose to your system. The part of your body that produces these antibodies is the lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes can be found throughout your body, but the most commonly known ones reside under your chin and on your neck. When you are suffering from a cold or flu, these nodes can become enlarged due to the larger number of antibodies they are producing. The same can happen during an allergic reaction, and the swelling in these cases can last for some time.
Lymph nodes work by releasing cells that begin coursing through your body searching for foreign substances. When they encounter such a substance, they send a signal back to the lymph nodes, which then begin producing antibodies to kill off those substances. During allergic reactions, these antibodies mistakenly believe that otherwise, not harmful substances such as ragweed or shellfish are actually attacking the body, and so they start aggressively fighting the invader. The antibodies begin producing histamine, a powerful type of cell used by the body to fight infections. However, if the histamine count in your system is too high, allergic symptoms can result. Allergy sufferers typically take antihistamines to reduce histamine production and neutralize any histamine that is present in the body’s system. In effect, these antihistamines tell your lymph nodes that everything is okay and histamine production should be stopped.
Allergy Testing
There are several different ways to test for allergies. The test used most often is the skin patch test, which is also known as a “scratch” test. For this test, the suspected allergen (or allergens, since multiple allergens can be tested at the same time) is spread over the skin. The skin is then pierced or scratched, so that the allergen can get under the outer layers of skin. The person conducting the test will then observe the skin over a specified amount of time. If the person being tested is allergic to a specific allergen, the skin will usually react with swelling, bumps, and redness. This type of test is often performed for food allergies using a double blind method, so that neither the subject nor the tester knows whether a placebo is being applied. This is done because many food allergies are “believed” rather than real, and this is a way to get true results.
The other major method of testing is known as RAST (radioallergosorbent) testing, in which a sample of blood is tested to see if antibodies have been produced to deal with a specific allergen. RAST testing is considered very accurate, although results may vary based on how often the subject has encountered the allergen.
Allergy Control Products
Air cleaners/purifiers are very common allergy control products. They use a variety of different technologies to pull allergen particles from the air. Even people who do not suffer from allergies use these air cleaners to remove allergens and odors and freshen the air they breathe. Options range from small table-top models to large whole-house designs that install in your heating & air conditioning system.
Vacuuming can be difficult for allergy sufferers, because many vacuums tend to blow the irritants right back into the air. But a vacuum with a High Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) filter can help trap the particles in the vacuum. As with any vacuum, those with HEPA filters are most effective when the filters are changed regularly.
Mattress & Pillow Covers
People who are allergic to dust and dust mites may find relief by enclosing their mattress and bed pillows in special allergy control bedding. Several different brands are available including Pristine and Economy Lite. Related products, such as special sheets, blankets, and comforters are also options to reduce allergic reactions.
Cleaning
There are a large number of cleaning sprays, powders, and other solutions to help reduce or eliminate dust, pet dander, pollen and other allergens. There are laundry additives to kill dust mites, treatments for your carpets, dehumidifiers, mold zappers, and mold inhibitors to apply to your walls, floors and other mildew-prone areas. There are special shampoos and even an ionic brush for your pets to reduce dander.
Medication
Those who have allergies and asthma can also see their doctor about pills, shots, inhalers and other medications (for instance, nasal sprays) that work to reduce allergy symptoms. Note that asthma is a separate medical condition that often coincides with different types of allergies and is impacted by many of the same irritants and allergens. The products listed above may help those who suffer from asthma, but medical treatment is essential for controlling asthma attacks.
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