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Posts Tagged ‘Allergen’

People who are susceptible to few or no allergies are fortunate. Most of us are allergic to something that is at the least annoying and at the most life threatening. When we come in contact with an allergen that gives us an allergic reaction it can manifest itself immediately or a few hours later.

It’s best to be aware of any acute allergy enabling you to take immediate steps to counteract any harmful effect. People with a family history of allergies, particularly those that are potentially life threatening should be extra cautious in avoiding certain foods and locales. This is especially true for children and babies.

Anaphylaxis causes death in about one thousand Americans annually. Anaphylaxis is simply a harmful allergic reaction. About 30,000 U. S. citizens suffer some sort of mild to serious anaphylactic reaction from the more than 12 million people who have a food allergy.

Allergies are signs that there’s an imbalance within the body. The symptoms tell you to either get treatment or the body will do all it can to correct the problem itself. Both children and adults endure at least a mild form of allergy.

Children lose two million school days each year due to problems with allergies. To further complicate the problem allergies can cause sleep loss, which leads to slow learning and performance. It’s the same with adults affecting their performance in the workplace.

Many allergies are attributed to food, which triggers an abnormal response in your immune system that protects your body from harmful viruses and bacteria. Food allergies are as varied as the foods you eat but there are eight foods that account for most. These include eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat and seafood, both fish and shellfish.

An allergen not often considered is a tiny dust mite. Dust mites are animal-like spiders that eat, defecate and reproduce. The life span of the male is only about 30 days but a female dust mite can live up to twice that while laying more than one hundred eggs. The main cause of allergies from dust mites is the remains left from fecal matter. Not pleasant, but mites can be found in rugs, carpeting and other areas where dust accumulates. Symptoms from dust mite allergies can be similar to that of a common cold.

Allergies to latex are becoming more commonplace. Latex is rubber derived from the sap of the rubber tree in Africa and Southeast Asia. Rubber gloves are the main source of allergic reactions occurring mainly in health care workers but reactions can also be suffered in condoms and other medical devices.

Studies have shown that you’re more likely to have a latex allergy if you’re also allergic to avocados, kiwis, chestnuts or bananas. The exact cause of the latex reaction is not known.

Most people never outgrow any allergy they might have, particularly food. The extent of harm from allergies depends on the individual but can be severe and should not be taken lightly.

A lot of people who suffer from asthma also suffer from allergies, and the allergies are usually playing a part in causing the asthma. Children are especially prone to this pattern: about 90% of asthmatic children are allergic to something, and that is either the main cause of their asthma or a critical contributor.

However not all asthma is associated with allergy. In particular, people who first develop asthma when they are adults are much less likely to have an allergy playing a part in their asthma.

How does allergy produce asthma?

Allergens in the air

Many allergens come into the airway when we inhale, as they are found in the atmosphere and in the air that we breathe. They are all tiny particles, which cannot be detected with the naked eye and can only be seen with a microscope. Airborne allergens include things such as house dust mite droppings, molds, cat allergen, dog allergen and pollen. If you are allergic to one of these and one of these landed on the surface of your airways, then a direct reaction will occur which makes the airway inflamed. There is swelling of the airway lining which reduces the flow of air through the airway. The inflammation also signals the muscles of the airways to contract, producing even more narrowing.

For some lucky folks, removing the allergen makes all these effects vanish. This is what happens to asthmatics who get asthma only during the pollen season. But for other asthmatics, the inflammation of the airway lining continues all season long, and the arrival of the allergen just makes matters worse. Natural allergy cures in combination with medicine prescribed by a doctor will go a long way in getting relief.

Other allergens

Although inhaled allergens such as pollen and dust are the main offenders in asthma, allergens from other sources such as food and beverages can also be a culprit.

Asthma may be linked to a true food allergy, which is a prompt and often quite serious reaction to food. The more severe type of reaction is known as anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis. With some people, anaphylaxis is caused by wasp and/or bee stings, and for others it is the combination of eating an allergenic food and taking exercise that provokes anaphylaxis. There are other sources as well, such as anti-venom, given for snake bites, also can provoke anaphylaxis in those who have had anti-venom before. And one of the more common allergies, latex allergy, are vulnerable to anaphylactic shock if latex gloves are used during a medical examination or surgery. Anaphylaxis is potentially life-threatening, especially in asthmatics because very severe asthma attack often accompanies anaphylactic shock. This condition must be treated by a specialist immediately.

Less dramatically, eating a particular food day after day, such as wheat or milk, may be contributing to asthma or even be the sole cause. This is not a true allergy but is known as food intolerance. A targeted diet with natural allergy cures such as juices and herbs is necessary.

It is rarely obvious that there is any link between the food and the asthma, but there are usually other symptoms that suggest food intolerance. Those with brittle asthma may be more likely to have food intolerance.

There are different symptoms of having an allergy. Some can be mild, some can be very annoying, but some can be dangerous and even life threatening. Below is a list of some common allergy symptoms:

1. Skin rashes – annoying and itchy and sometimes painful. Depends where they are on the body, they can make someone to look quite ugly.
2. Breathing problems – when allergy causes problems with breathing and lack of oxygen, it is very serious and requires attention.
3. Itchy notes, mouth, throat and skin – this is one of the most common and annoying allergy symptoms – an itch that can’t be smoothed.
4. Conjunctivitis – burning and itchy eyes, is also a common allergy problem.
5. Coughing – another common allergy problem for many people – constant cough that sometimes is also painful.
6. Hives – hives can be painful and they can cause attention of others in public.
7. Headache – distracting headache that makes difficult to do anything constructive or relax.
8. Diarrhea – long time diarrhea can be also life threatening.

When you have an allergy the next step is to find out what causes it. You should talk to your doctor who will after checking the symptoms, know what to do. You should have a physical examination. The next step is usually tests which can find out precisely what causes the allergy. There are three kinds of tests:

1. The Skin Test – it is the least expensive and is very accurate. To do the skin test, a small amount of allergen is put on the skin and then the spot is pricked or scratched with a needle. A bit of allergen is also injected into the outer part of the skin. If there is an allergy to the tested product, after about 15-20 minutes after the test, there will be redness, swelling and itching on the skin

2. The Patch Test – it is done to find a contact dermatitis. A small amount of allergen is put into skin and then covered with a bandage. A doctor then checks the spot within forty-eight hours to see if a rash develops.

3. The Blood Test – this test is done when there are skin conditions or medications taken that might interfere with a skin test. In the blood test, the blood is taken to a laboratory and allergens are added to the blood sample. The amount of antibodies that are going to be made will be measured in this test.

The rubber tree produces a milky fluid that is commonly used to make latex. The latex is popular in health care sectors to provide protection to health workers and others regarding infectious diseases. Latex is therefore vital in society today but has a downside as well. Latex allergy is a growing concern among users. Gloves made out of this material will cause skin reaction and many other signs that have been seen to be allergic reactions. This natural rubber has been studied by experts and there is evidence to show that it is responsible for the allergies.

However, there are different kinds of latex that are synthetic and often times, many people do not know the difference. Regarding synthetic latex, it has been found that they do not contain the proteins that eventually cause these kinds of allergies. This is to say that there are particular proteins in natural rubber that are responsible for reactions. People are therefore advised to reduce the frequency or avoid exposure to these proteins known to be released by the rubber latex.

Apart from exposure through latex rubber gloves, workers can also transmit the allergens to the air. This happens when they change the gloves and the proteins become airborne. This way, people will inhale them and start suffering the symptoms of the allergy. If you are constantly working with these factors around you, it will be wise to know some of the top symptoms that are caused by exposure leading to allergic reaction.

The symptoms and signs include skin rash which is the most announced symptom in this regard. Other signs to look out for include formation of hives, redness and flushing, itching, sinus problems, shock, asthma and the list goes on. Some people will come down with most of these signs while others will just have one symptom. When you notice this problem, it is essential that you do not ignore it. Look for opportunities to avoid contact with this allergen.

Avoidance is the best way to prevent and treat the problem. However, if you have no choice but to be exposed, see your doctor who will advise on the best protection as well as recommend the right medication to take care of the problem. Parents and guardians are advised to pay close attention where kids are concerned. You should be in a position to read some of the signs above and take the necessary step.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to get rid of allergies. An allergy is the reaction of the immune system to substances your body thinks are harmful to you. Once the body detects these foreign substances (which are called allergens), it releases a chemical into your bloodstream (the most common being histamine) and these chemicals cause the familiar allergic reaction you get: the runny nose, the watery eyes and the rashes on your skin. The more severe allergies are called anaphylactic reactions and can cause you to have chest pains, breathing difficulties or even loss of consciousness.

Because the body will always react the same way to allergens every time, you can’t really do anything to permanently get rid of an allergic reaction. You can, however, prevent allergies from happening by avoiding allergens that affect you. If you’re already affected, you can get rid of the allergic symptoms instead. In the case of allergies, the saying “prevention is the best cure” really applies.

First, identify your allergens. Everyone has different allergic reactions to different allergens, so it is impossible to treat someone’s allergy based on another’s reaction. For this reason, it is imperative that you identify which allergen you have a reaction to. You can accomplish this through the process of elimination. When you develop symptoms of allergy, try to think of the immediate things around you that could have triggered it. Things like the food you ate, the material of the clothes you wore, or even the things you touched are perfectly good suspects. The hard thing about allergies is that anything can be an allergen. It is only through experiencing one personally that you can start identifying it.

When trying to pinpoint your allergens, keep a list of the common allergens. You can find them in medical books or on the Internet. This way, the process of elimination will be easier. Since you can have allergic reactions to multiple allergens, a list can also be helpful to keep track of all the possibilities. If you still can’t identify your allergens on your own, enlist the help of a doctor. An allergy testing can be done, which usually involve scratch tests that bring out reactions that point to specific allergens.

Once you’ve identified your allergens, get rid of them. The simplest way to get rid of the allergens is to get them out of your environment. For example, if you are allergic to peanuts or to shellfish, remove them from your diet. If you’re eating out in a restaurant, ask the waiter about the ingredients of the food so you won’t have an embarrassing attack in the middle of the restaurant. Likewise, if you’re allergic to certain animals, like cat or dog fur, get them out of your house or steer clear of them.

Be sure to clean your house or environment regularly. Remember that allergens are not usually rooted in one place. Therefore, if someone brought a cat over and you’re allergic to cat fur, you are still at risk from any fluff the cat may have left behind, even if the cat’s long gone. Also, one of the more common allergens is dust, so regular house-cleaning will ensure that you’re relatively safe, always.

If you can’t get rid of an allergen (say, the allergen is a pollen from one of the flowers your next-door neighbor has), then the best course of action would be for you to get pharmacological help.

Use allergen-free products.

There are various products on the market that advertise themselves as hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic products have ingredients that are less likely to cause any allergic reaction. While they do not totally eliminate allergens, hypoallergenic products contain as few common allergens as possible. Products such as pillows, detergents, beddings, and food have their hypoallergenic counterparts. For pet lovers, there are pets that are promoted as hypoallergenic, such as the Yorkshire terrier, whose hair or coat does not shed, and whose pH is the same as the human hair, so there is no dander.

Antihistamines can help you alleviate the symptoms of allergies. Antihistamines are drug products that serve to inhibit or counteract the effect of histamines in your body. As mentioned before, your allergic reaction is mainly due to the histamines produced by the body’s immune system when it senses an allergen. While antihistamines do not remove the allergy per se, they can help you relieve the allergic reactions, like the sneezing and the scratching. Most commonly, antihistamines come in nasal spray or oral form. Oral ones usually contain an added decongestant or pain reliever. Examples of common over-the-counter antihistamines are Benadryl and Claritin.

Antihistamines come in two families: the first generation and the second generation. The first generation antihistamines generally have heavier side effects than the second generation. Before taking any antihistamine, consult with your physician because he or she can prescribe the most apt medication for your case.

Take food and vitamin supplements. There are several vitamins and minerals that can boost and strengthen the body’s immune system, helping to combat allergens. Vitamin C, for example, is believed to be a good natural antihistamine when taken in sufficient doses. Certain antioxidants like grape seed extracts and N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) are also good immune boosters that help your immune system cope better with the allergens. Consult with your physician about these supplements and how they can be used in conjunction with drugs to better alleviate your allergic reactions.

Check for other medical alternatives. Allergen immunotherapy is a procedure in which you are injected with allergen vaccines. The aim is to reach a dose that will consistently reduce your allergies by moderating and controlling your immune system’s reaction to them. The procedure does involve the risk of possibly inducing anaphylaxis, but advances in modern standard vaccines have lessened the risk of the side effects. Allergen immunotherapy has been developed specifically for several allergens like cat dander, red top, and sweet vernal grasses. Allergen immunotherapy should only be considered when normal, conventional methods of alleviating the allergy have proved ineffective.

Allergic reactions can be very annoying and uncomfortable, especially if you are allergic to several allergens at the same time. While there are many treatments available today and many others currently in development, everything should always be discussed with your physician. Allergies are common, but you can live life with them without suffering too much inconvenience.

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