Health Articles
What is An Allergy?
Allergy is characterized by an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (“allergen”) that is eaten, breathed into the lungs, injected or touched. This immune overreaction can result in symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat. In severe cases it can also result in rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, and even death.
There are no cures for allergies. Allergies can be managed with proper prevention and treatment.
Allergies have a genetic component. If only one parent has allergies of any type, chances are 1 in 3 that each child will have an allergy. If both parents have allergies, it is much more likely (7 in 10) that their children will have allergies.
- Indoor and Outdoor Allergies (Allergic rhinitis; seasonal/perennial allergies; hay fever; nasal allergies) Approximately 75% of all allergy sufferers have indoor/outdoor allergies as their primary allergy. (Many people with allergies usually have more than one type of allergy.) The most common indoor/outdoor allergy triggers are: tree, grass and weed pollen; mold spores; dust mite and cockroach allergen; and, cat, dog and rodent dander.
- Skin Allergies (Atopic dermatitis; eczema; hives; urticaria; contact allergies) – Approximately 7% of allergy sufferers have skin allergies as their primary allergy. Plants such as poison ivy, oak and sumac are the most common skin allergy triggers. However, skin contact with cockroach and dust mite allergen, certain foods or latex may also trigger symptoms of skin allergy.
- Food and Drug Allergies – Approximately 6% of allergy sufferers have food/drug allergies as their primary allergy. Food allergy is more common among children than adults. 90% of all food allergy reactions are caused by 8 foods: milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. For drug allergies, penicillin is the most common allergy trigger.
- Latex Allergy – Approximately 4% of allergy sufferers have latex allergy as their primary allergy. An estimated 10% of healthcare workers suffer from latex allergy.
- Insect Allergies – Approximately 4% of allergy sufferers have insect allergies as their primary allergy (bee/wasp stings and venomous ant bites; cockroach and dust mite allergen may also cause nasal or skin allergy symptoms.)
- Eye Allergies (Allergic conjunctivitis; ocular allergies) – Approximately 4% of allergy sufferers have eye allergies as their primary allergy, often caused by many of the same triggers as indoor/outdoor allergies.
Environmental control involves avoiding the symptoms that cause allergic reactions.
Several treatments are available to treat allergies including both over the counter and prescription drugs such as antihistamines, decongestants, corticosteroids, nasal sprays and eye drops.
Also called allergy shots, immunotherapy is the only medical treatment that offers prolonged relief from allergy symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how often these shots will need to be administered and how long you can expect the effects to last.
People who have had a severe allergic reaction in the past or who may be at risk for such a reaction may want to talk to their doctor about whether to carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them at all times. The auto-injector allows someone to self administer a shot of epinephrine during a severe allergic reaction to prevent the occurrence of anaphylactic shock.
Content source: CDC, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Healia
