All About Allergies: How to Understand, Prevent and Treat Them In Your Family
Michael Kabel
February 13, 2008
For allergy sufferers, the coming of the warm weather months is a ray of hope that carries a seed of discomfort. The spring months and the blooming of countless plants and flowers brings a new season of pollen, ragweed, and other allergens that often provoke sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes, fatigue, and other painful symptoms. Children especially are often subject to painful allergy effects, as their immune systems lack the strength to fight off attack.
In one of nature´s ironic designs, allergies are actually meant to protect the body from further harm. They serve a purpose, though any allergy sufferer will tell you it´s often hard to see their benefit while in the throes of a sneezing fit. But it´s important to understand how allergic reactions work within the body to know how to best control them.
Allergies are an immune system response
Allergies are an immune system disorder and are commonly considered a form of overreaction called Type I Hypersensitivity.
Allergic reactions occur when certain kinds of white blood cells, the body´s most common form of defense against outside pollutants, overreact to a perceived threat. These white blood cells, called mast cells and basophils, are activated by a specific antibody known as IgE. As the IgE antibody attaches itself to mast cells and basophils, the foreign allergens bind with it, compelling the mast cells and basophils to release chemicals such as histamine and heparin. Histamine causes many of the symptoms commonly associated with an allergy attack, including watery eyes and sneezing.
Allergies are more common than most people realize.
Human beings suffer from dozens of potential allergies, including reacting to everything from certain kinds of foods to particles in the air and animal dander and insect stings. The cause of allergies is partly genetic, partly environmental.
Heredity plays a strong factor: most people inherit a tendency to be allergic, not a specific allergy itself. An allergic person has a 50% chance of passing an allergy on to their child. In cases where both parents have allergies, the likelihood jumps to 75%.
Allergies are also extremely prevalent in the population: experts believe as much as 20% of the American public deals with some form of allergy.
Allergies´ symptoms depend on the kind of allergy
Allergies´ most notorious syndrome is of course sneezing. Other common reactions to airborne allergens, besides the one listed above, include eczema, hives, mucus in the lungs, and even problems with the digestive system.
Allergic responses sometimes result in an atopic reaction, a condition in which the body produces symptoms in parts of itself which do not come in contact with the allergen. A common example would be hives along the arms after exposure to a certain kind of pollen or animal fur. Atopic reactions are strongly hereditary in origin. Scientists believe atopic reactions result from an overabundance of IgE in the bloodstream.
Allergic reactions depend on where the allergen was encountered, with the body responding to the threat locally. For example, food and drink allergies are usually dealt with in the stomach, airborne allergens around the nose, eyes, and mouth.
Understanding the three basic types of allergic reactions.
Typically, allergies are also classified according to level of seriousness:
Mild reactions affect a certain part of the body with symptoms such as watery eyes or hives. They do not spread to other parts of the body.
Moderate reactions spread to other parts of the body. They typically include respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing but may also include itchiness.
Severe reactions are extremely painful and usually involve some form of anaphylaxis.
Anaphylactic Shock is a serious allergic risk.
In some allergy cases, mast cells release so much histamine and other allergy mediators in such a short amount of time that a severe drop in blood pressure results, leading to a condition called anaphylactic shock. The most common forms of allergens linked to this condition are penicillin and insect stings.
Anaphylactic symptoms begin as intense forms of normal allergy effects, such as itching and rash. They soon continue into more serious abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Because the body is literally starved for oxygen, mental confusion and dizziness are also possible.
If left untreated, anaphylactic shock can cause death in minutes. Though as much as sixteen percent of the U.S. population is considered at risk, less than 1,000 people each year die as a result of such extreme allergic reaction.
Hay fever is common and easily controlled.
Hay fever is among the most visible signs of allergies, with sneezing, watery eyes (also called allergic conjunctivitis) and coughing the most common symptoms. Other more severe effects include headache, impaired smell, nasal and chest congestion, and wheezing.
The most common kind of hay fever is actually the condition called rhinitis, an internal inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Its primary symptom is the runny nose.
Hay fever is basically an allergy to a variety of seasonal pollens. It gets its name from haying season, which typically lasts from the end of May through the month of June. Most of the pollens that cause hay fever are propelled through the air via wind currents, literally creating an atmosphere conducive to an allergic reaction. It´s considered easy to treat, with dozens of antihistamine and corticosteroid medications available over the counter.
Atopic and Contact Dermatitis are also very common and easily treatable
Atopic dermatitis (also called atopic eczema) routinely appears in conjunction with other allergic reactions such as sneezing and allergic conjunctivitis. It´s marked by swelling or reddening of areas of the skin. However, atopic dermatitis is non-contagious, and symptoms can fade and disappear over time. The symptoms often strongly resemble the outward signs of psoriasis. Atopic dermatitis is very common in children and even many breeds of domesticated dogs.
Allergic contact dermatitis, as the name implies, arises when the skin encounters something to which the body reacts. The infected area develops a rash or irritated surface area some hours after exposure to the allergen. Typical causes include poison oak, poison ivy, and also some chemical detergents and cleansers with a high nickel content.
Atopic and contact dermatitis should not be confused with contact urticaria, in which a strong rash arises immediately after contact but fades almost as quickly.
Preventing Allergies For You and Your Family
Creating an allergy-free environment for yourself and your family takes some technology, a lot of planning, and plenty of awareness. Fortunately, it does not take a lot of money.
Experts recognize that the best way to avoid allergic reactions is simply to avoid the substances and conditions that provoke them. Within the home, this can involve using air purifiers and high performance filters on air conditioning units.
Smoking remains one of the greatest dangers to allergies – especially those in children. Removing smoking altogether from your home and your car will greatly improve their air quality. Pregnant women should never smoke, as this presents myriad dangers to the unborn child.
Evidence suggests that breastfeeding decreases a baby´s later susceptibility to allergies and irritants. Breastfeeding as long as possible also helps build the child´s immune system build resistance to respiratory diseases that can contribute to allergies.
Getting Tested for Allergies
Getting yourself and your children tested by an allergist will definitively disclose any airborne, food, and several other allergens to avoid during everyday activities. The tests are quick and mostly free of discomfort. A trained allergist or specialist will prick the skin with a variety of known allergens, testing for a response and monitor the results. They´ll then be able to formulate an "allergy map" describing the severity of any allergies on a scale of one to four.
Skin tests will not work, however, on patients with some kinds of skin disease or for those who have recently taken antihistamine allergy medication.
Various types of treatment medications work for various allergy needs.
The most famous types of allergy medications are long- and short-term antihistamines, which block the production of the histamine substance within the body. Most cause some form of drowsiness, though some do not.
Decongestants also work to prevent many allergy symptoms by shrinking blood vessels along nasal tissues. They´re typically used to reduce congestion that comes with moderate allergy symptoms. Side effects include raised blood pressure, irritability, and even sleeplessness and insomnia.
Combined medications offer much of the benefits of both antihistamines and decongestants. They may also combine side effects, however.
Steroids are especially useful for relieving allergy inflammation that results in many allergy symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes. They must be taken regularly to have a positive effect, however, and may not show positive results for as long as two weeks. Side effects include weight gain and fluid retention.
Determining which treatments will work best for you and your family
Allergies, especially during the high pollen content months of spring and summer, are a great enough family health concern to consult your family doctor. Medication and removing known allergens from your living environment are important steps, and can be understood as the foundation of a healthier lifestyle.
Pursuing a greater level of respiratory and cardiovascular fitness is also a helpful form of allergy resistance. Improving the strength of these important body systems will help them stave off allergy irritation, reducing the risk of reactions.
Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for Corner Stork Baby Gifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources, unique baby gifts, baby gift baskets and baby shower favors.
In one of nature´s ironic designs, allergies are actually meant to protect the body from further harm. They serve a purpose, though any allergy sufferer will tell you it´s often hard to see their benefit while in the throes of a sneezing fit. But it´s important to understand how allergic reactions work within the body to know how to best control them.
Allergies are an immune system response
Allergies are an immune system disorder and are commonly considered a form of overreaction called Type I Hypersensitivity.
Allergic reactions occur when certain kinds of white blood cells, the body´s most common form of defense against outside pollutants, overreact to a perceived threat. These white blood cells, called mast cells and basophils, are activated by a specific antibody known as IgE. As the IgE antibody attaches itself to mast cells and basophils, the foreign allergens bind with it, compelling the mast cells and basophils to release chemicals such as histamine and heparin. Histamine causes many of the symptoms commonly associated with an allergy attack, including watery eyes and sneezing.
Allergies are more common than most people realize.
Human beings suffer from dozens of potential allergies, including reacting to everything from certain kinds of foods to particles in the air and animal dander and insect stings. The cause of allergies is partly genetic, partly environmental.
Heredity plays a strong factor: most people inherit a tendency to be allergic, not a specific allergy itself. An allergic person has a 50% chance of passing an allergy on to their child. In cases where both parents have allergies, the likelihood jumps to 75%.
Allergies are also extremely prevalent in the population: experts believe as much as 20% of the American public deals with some form of allergy.
Allergies´ symptoms depend on the kind of allergy
Allergies´ most notorious syndrome is of course sneezing. Other common reactions to airborne allergens, besides the one listed above, include eczema, hives, mucus in the lungs, and even problems with the digestive system.
Allergic responses sometimes result in an atopic reaction, a condition in which the body produces symptoms in parts of itself which do not come in contact with the allergen. A common example would be hives along the arms after exposure to a certain kind of pollen or animal fur. Atopic reactions are strongly hereditary in origin. Scientists believe atopic reactions result from an overabundance of IgE in the bloodstream.
Allergic reactions depend on where the allergen was encountered, with the body responding to the threat locally. For example, food and drink allergies are usually dealt with in the stomach, airborne allergens around the nose, eyes, and mouth.
Understanding the three basic types of allergic reactions.
Typically, allergies are also classified according to level of seriousness:
Mild reactions affect a certain part of the body with symptoms such as watery eyes or hives. They do not spread to other parts of the body.
Moderate reactions spread to other parts of the body. They typically include respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing but may also include itchiness.
Severe reactions are extremely painful and usually involve some form of anaphylaxis.
Anaphylactic Shock is a serious allergic risk.
In some allergy cases, mast cells release so much histamine and other allergy mediators in such a short amount of time that a severe drop in blood pressure results, leading to a condition called anaphylactic shock. The most common forms of allergens linked to this condition are penicillin and insect stings.
Anaphylactic symptoms begin as intense forms of normal allergy effects, such as itching and rash. They soon continue into more serious abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Because the body is literally starved for oxygen, mental confusion and dizziness are also possible.
If left untreated, anaphylactic shock can cause death in minutes. Though as much as sixteen percent of the U.S. population is considered at risk, less than 1,000 people each year die as a result of such extreme allergic reaction.
Hay fever is common and easily controlled.
Hay fever is among the most visible signs of allergies, with sneezing, watery eyes (also called allergic conjunctivitis) and coughing the most common symptoms. Other more severe effects include headache, impaired smell, nasal and chest congestion, and wheezing.
The most common kind of hay fever is actually the condition called rhinitis, an internal inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose. Its primary symptom is the runny nose.
Hay fever is basically an allergy to a variety of seasonal pollens. It gets its name from haying season, which typically lasts from the end of May through the month of June. Most of the pollens that cause hay fever are propelled through the air via wind currents, literally creating an atmosphere conducive to an allergic reaction. It´s considered easy to treat, with dozens of antihistamine and corticosteroid medications available over the counter.
Atopic and Contact Dermatitis are also very common and easily treatable
Atopic dermatitis (also called atopic eczema) routinely appears in conjunction with other allergic reactions such as sneezing and allergic conjunctivitis. It´s marked by swelling or reddening of areas of the skin. However, atopic dermatitis is non-contagious, and symptoms can fade and disappear over time. The symptoms often strongly resemble the outward signs of psoriasis. Atopic dermatitis is very common in children and even many breeds of domesticated dogs.
Allergic contact dermatitis, as the name implies, arises when the skin encounters something to which the body reacts. The infected area develops a rash or irritated surface area some hours after exposure to the allergen. Typical causes include poison oak, poison ivy, and also some chemical detergents and cleansers with a high nickel content.
Atopic and contact dermatitis should not be confused with contact urticaria, in which a strong rash arises immediately after contact but fades almost as quickly.
Preventing Allergies For You and Your Family
Creating an allergy-free environment for yourself and your family takes some technology, a lot of planning, and plenty of awareness. Fortunately, it does not take a lot of money.
Experts recognize that the best way to avoid allergic reactions is simply to avoid the substances and conditions that provoke them. Within the home, this can involve using air purifiers and high performance filters on air conditioning units.
Smoking remains one of the greatest dangers to allergies – especially those in children. Removing smoking altogether from your home and your car will greatly improve their air quality. Pregnant women should never smoke, as this presents myriad dangers to the unborn child.
Evidence suggests that breastfeeding decreases a baby´s later susceptibility to allergies and irritants. Breastfeeding as long as possible also helps build the child´s immune system build resistance to respiratory diseases that can contribute to allergies.
Getting Tested for Allergies
Getting yourself and your children tested by an allergist will definitively disclose any airborne, food, and several other allergens to avoid during everyday activities. The tests are quick and mostly free of discomfort. A trained allergist or specialist will prick the skin with a variety of known allergens, testing for a response and monitor the results. They´ll then be able to formulate an "allergy map" describing the severity of any allergies on a scale of one to four.
Skin tests will not work, however, on patients with some kinds of skin disease or for those who have recently taken antihistamine allergy medication.
Various types of treatment medications work for various allergy needs.
The most famous types of allergy medications are long- and short-term antihistamines, which block the production of the histamine substance within the body. Most cause some form of drowsiness, though some do not.
Decongestants also work to prevent many allergy symptoms by shrinking blood vessels along nasal tissues. They´re typically used to reduce congestion that comes with moderate allergy symptoms. Side effects include raised blood pressure, irritability, and even sleeplessness and insomnia.
Combined medications offer much of the benefits of both antihistamines and decongestants. They may also combine side effects, however.
Steroids are especially useful for relieving allergy inflammation that results in many allergy symptoms such as sneezing and watery eyes. They must be taken regularly to have a positive effect, however, and may not show positive results for as long as two weeks. Side effects include weight gain and fluid retention.
Determining which treatments will work best for you and your family
Allergies, especially during the high pollen content months of spring and summer, are a great enough family health concern to consult your family doctor. Medication and removing known allergens from your living environment are important steps, and can be understood as the foundation of a healthier lifestyle.
Pursuing a greater level of respiratory and cardiovascular fitness is also a helpful form of allergy resistance. Improving the strength of these important body systems will help them stave off allergy irritation, reducing the risk of reactions.
Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for Corner Stork Baby Gifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources, unique baby gifts, baby gift baskets and baby shower favors.
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