Allergies?

Nearly one out of every five people in the United States suffers from some type of allergy. Allergies are caused by an immune system reaction to a substance in the environment. The particular substance—the allergen—can be different for each allergy sufferer, and the substances are typically harmless to those who do not have allergies.

There are many common types of allergies. Quite a lot of people are allergic to pollen, for example. Other widespread allergens include mold, latex, milk, eggs, nuts, shellfish, wheat, bee stings, and pet dander.

Allergy Symptoms

People who suffer from mild allergies may experience the following symptoms:

• Nasal congestion and/or sneezing
• Itchy and watery eyes

Those who have more troublesome issues with allergies may also experience these symptoms:

• Itchiness
• Hives or rash
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

Certain individuals may undergo a rare and life-threatening type of allergic response called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can quickly cause a person to have difficulties in breathing because of swelling in the throat; therefore, emergency medical attention is likely to be necessary.

Allergy Treatment

In order to determine the best treatment procedure for dealing with allergies, it is best for a person to pinpoint the allergens which cause his symptoms. In some cases, this knowledge may come easily; for example, a person may know that he is allergic to pet dander due to the symptoms he has when near cats or dogs. For other people, though, the source of their allergy problems may not be so obvious. These people will need to have allergy testing.

If food allergies are suspected, most doctors will suggest keeping a food diary. In the diary, a person is to list all foods eaten along with times of any allergic reactions. The diary can help the doctor to determine which food(s) may be causing the allergies.

There are two other tests may also be used to identify which substances are causing allergic reactions.

• Allergy Skin Test: With this test, a small amount of an extract of an allergen is applied to the skin. The skin is then evaluated for a response to the allergen. This is also done by injecting the allergen under the skin or through the use of allergen patches.
• Blood Allergy Test: For this test, a small amount of blood is taken from the allergy sufferer. The blood is then analyzed for antibodies to specific antigens; high levels of antibodies indicate that the person is allergic to a certain allergen.

Tags | Allergies