We hear all the time about allergies causing multiple complaints in people. Searching the allergies revealed that, allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance or food that does not cause a reaction in most people. But in certain people can cause symptoms of allergies. According to the Mayo Clinic, when you have allergies, your immune system antibodies identify a particular allergen as harmful even though it isn’t.
Some causes are airborne allergens like pollen, grass particles and dust while others include food, particularly peanuts and seafood, insect stings, medication, latex, perfumes, or household chemicals. Seasonal allergies occur at the same time every year. They last as long as the allergens are in the air, which is about two to three weeks per allergen. So it is important to know the pollen count of your city to know how problematic it is to go outside unprepared. Other allergies are termed perennial which means they occur throughout the year or in other words they are not dependent on time of the year and precautions are to be taken all the time. The most common example is dust particle allergy.
Allergy symptoms [depending on the substance] can affect your airways, sinuses, nasal passages, skin, and digestive system, ranging from mild to severe. So the resultant symptoms include sneezing, itching of the nose, eyes, or the roof of the mouth, runny, stuffed nose, tingling of the mouth, swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat, and hives. These symptoms are triggered by the allergens in the body and result in formation of a chemical in the body called histamine. There are other chemicals but histamine is the most common of them, and resulting in most of the symptoms that patients suffer from.
There is a way to test for allergies. A skin prick, a puncture, or scratch test checks for immediate allergic reactions to as many as fifty different substances at once. It helps the physicians to recommend best ways to treat and best ways to avoid the exposure and stay safe. Preventions for the allergy largely depend on the type of the allergy. Limiting exposure is the best way, so wearing a mask in pollen season can be most effective.
You might be more likely to develop an allergy if you have a family history of asthma or allergies. Changes in the immune system can also be a cause of allergies. Some people may grow out of it, and with age their symptoms get better, but most people continue to have some symptoms throughout their life.
Some measures are avoiding known triggers, keeping a diary, and wearing a medical bracelet. There are some home remedies for allergies as well. Some examples are saline nasal irrigation, air filters, probiotics, and honey. People who suffer more symptoms are treated with drugs like antihistamines, and steroids to control their symptoms.