What are Allergies?
Allergies are extremely common today - everyone seems to have an allergy to something, whether it be a hayfever, a reaction to animals such as cats, or an inability to cope with certain foods. Allergic reactions are triggered by environmental substances known as allergens.
Medical conditions such as Asthma can be triggered by allergens present in the environment such as dust or insects. Other allergies can be triggered by food or by medications. In many cases the allergy develops over time or is acquired as a result of a different event.
Severe allergies in extreme cases can result in anaphylactic reactions which can be life-threatening. This is something to be very aware of as these reactions can happen without warning. The most severe type of anaphylaxis is anaphylactic shock, which occurs when an allergic response triggers a quick release from mast cells of large quantities of immunological mediators (histamines, prostaglandins, leukotrienes). This leads to a sudden drop in blood pressure and difficulty breathing. Anaphylactic shock can lead to death in a matter of minutes if left untreated.
Types of allergies commonly seen in the US and UK are:
Allergic Rhinitis
Asthma
Atopic eczema
Anaphylaxis
Inset venom
Drug allergies
Food allergies
Multiple allergies - asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis together
A food allergy is an exaggerated immune response triggered by foods such as peanuts, eggs, seafood, milk or other specific foods. The causes of food allergies are not widely understood and the symptoms are often confused with intolerance. The key difference between an allergy and intolerance is the presence of antibodies and histamine produced by the body in response to an allergen. A food allergy can start at any age but often will start in childhood.
Allergic rhinitis - or hayfever - is the most common chronic disease, affecting up to 30% of adults in the US. It can be extremely debilitating and can lead to other sinus problems, causing loss of productivity in adults and making suffers more susceptible to other conditions. Seasonal allergic rhinitis seems to diminish as a person ages, and is more common in children and young adults.
Most of the treatments available for allergies appear to be aimed at blocking the action of allergic mediators or to prevent the activation of cells and degranulation processes. These include antihistamines, hydrocortisone, cortisone, dexamethasone and epinephrine (adrenaline) as well as others.
Another treatment that is sometimes used is to gradually vaccinate the patient with progressively larger doses of the allergen - the aim being to reduce or eliminate the hypersensitivity. In a sense, the patient builds up a immunity to the allergen.
The most important thing is to understand how allergies can affect us in daily life and if you are concerned with your reactions to allergens, then contact your health professional for advice.
Ed Sutherland is a successful Webmaster and publisher of AllergyTreatmentReviews.com. He provides more useful information on allergies, their treatments and information on finding the natural treatment for you that you can research at your leisure on his website, http://www.allergytreatmentreviews.com/
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