There’s a good chance that you or someone you know suffers from allergies. Up to one-third of the population now experiences the itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing or rashes caused by allergic reactions. While medical research is making great progress, a permanent cure for allergies is still out of reach. However, as more is learned about the causes and symptoms of allergies, strategies for coping with them are improving.
Here we will talk about some of these strategies, including how to avoid allergens and the role of medical treatments, as well as some practical measures you can apply in your own home.
What Causes Allergies?
Your immune system is in charge of protecting you from diseases and infections. It does this by responding to the presence of foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses, in your body. In an allergic reaction, your immune system perceives a substance that is normally harmless as a threat. The presence of this substance, or allergen, sets off the production of antibodies and histamines, which give you the symptoms of an allergy attack. In addition, while your immune system can maintain antibodies against a virus, preventing a second illness (once you’ve had measles, you probably won’t get them again), in the case of allergens it will overreact every time.
What Are Common Allergy Symptoms?
Some allergens cause mild, if annoying, symptoms. These include a runny nose, a sore throat, watery and itchy eyes, and rashes. Your body may also try to get rid of the allergen by sneezing. But some allergens may cause severe, even life-threatening, reactions, which may include dizziness, swelling in the mouth and throat, and difficulty breathing. This type of response is called anaphylaxis and may lead to unconsciousness, or even death, if not treated promptly. Bee stings and peanuts are known to produce these extreme attacks in people who are allergic to them.
Who May Be Susceptible To Allergies?
Scientists don’t yet fully understand why some people are plagued by allergies and others aren’t. You may be more likely to develop allergies if one or both of your parents have them. However, parents don’t always pass on allergies to their offspring. More research is underway on this genetic connection, but it’s still inconclusive.
While young children seem to have the highest risk for developing allergies, age doesn’t seem to be an absolute determining factor. Symptoms of hay fever (the typical cold-like response to pollen) may not show up until adolescence or even later. On the other hand, young sufferers of hay fever may find it disappears in later life.
Gender differences also seem to vary. Boys have a higher incidence of allergies than girls, yet asthma is more prevalent in young adult women than men.
Family size can influence allergies as well. Researchers have discovered that children in large families are less likely to suffer from eczema and hay fever than children who live in smaller households. They theorize that large families experience more bacterial and viral infections, keeping a young child’s immune system appropriately active. Where children have less exposure to outside infections, the immune system may not mature as quickly and may then become overly aggressive towards harmless allergens.
Around the world people who live in rural, agrarian communities appear to be less susceptible to allergies than urban populations in industrialized nations.
Where Are Allergens Found?
You can come into contact with allergens by consuming foods, drinks, or medications that contain them, by inhaling airborne particles, and by touching certain substances. Not every allergy sufferer is allergic to the same sources. For instance, you may get hay fever from ragweed pollen, but you won’t necessarily get the rash your best friend gets from a gold ring. And your neighbor may get hay fever from, well, hay, but not from the ragweed that bothers you.
Food allergies cause a reaction when you eat or drink something that contains an allergen. You may experience a rash or hives, bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea. Common sources of food allergens are eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, dairy products, and seafood, particularly shellfish. Most people with food allergies find that the best way to manage them is to avoid the foods that cause a problem.
Airborne particles often cause hay fever, a reaction that feels a lot like having a cold. A common airborne allergen is pollen from blooming plants. Pollen produces what is known as seasonal allergies, because the reactions only occur while the plant is in bloom. Another source of airborne allergens is dust mites, microscopic bugs that make their homes in household dust. The best defense against dust mites is to keep your home clean by dusting on a daily basis and using a vacuum with a filter system to catch the allergens.
It’s a popular misconception that animal fur can cause an allergic reaction. It’s not the animal’s fur, but its dander, or tiny flakes of skin, which causes misery for people who are allergic to cats, dogs, or other animals. Staying away from animals is the most effective way to deal with this allergy.
Some people have skin so sensitive to various allergens that they break out in a rash or develop eczema from contact with any substance containing the allergen. Cosmetics, detergents, latex, and perfumes are all sources of these allergies. In addition, hives may occur from contact with the chemicals used in some cleaning products and toiletries. You can prevent these outbreaks by avoiding anything that causes a reaction or changing to an irritant-free form.
Another form of skin allergy may occur from wearing jewelry or eyeglasses that contain certain metals, such as nickel. The reactions may include itching, redness, or even a rash where the metal comes in contact with your skin. Since going without jewelry or eyewear may not be an attractive option, try substituting products made with titanium or stainless steel. Titanium jewelry is the most hypoallergenic metal and has been successfully used by many people with sensitive skin.
Allergic reactions to some medications can often be extremely serious or even life-threatening if anaphylaxis occurs. Aspirin, penicillin, and sulfa drugs are common sources of allergies in this category.
How Can I Diagnose My Allergies?
If you have an allergy, then you know that determining just what causes it can be frustrating and time-consuming. It’s a process of recording your symptoms and anything you ate, drank, touched, or came close to before or during your attack. Then you try to eliminate those items, and see what happens. It’s a trial-and-error procedure but most allergy sufferers will tell you the relief from symptoms is worth the effort to identify and avoid allergens.
However, some allergens are harder to pinpoint, especially pollens. With many types of plants blooming at the same time, it can be impossible to figure out which blossoms are responsible for your hay fever. In this case, a visit to an allergy specialist, who can administer skin and blood tests, may be necessary.
Can Medication Help Me?
Simply avoiding allergens is in many cases a very effective way to control your allergies. If you know you’re allergic to shellfish, you don’t eat it. If your mascara makes your eyes water, you just switch to a hypoallergenic brand. But for pollens, it’s a little tougher; simply not breathing doesn’t work. Your doctor may want to prescribe some medication or a course of vaccinations to help you.
Allergy medications to alleviate symptoms are available over-the-counter in mild forms, but must be prescribed for more heavy-duty doses. There are nasal sprays and oral antihistamines to relieve cold-like symptoms. Steroids may also be prescribed to help reduce inflammation. It’s important to remember that these medications will not cure your allergies.
Epinephrine is essential for anyone who suffers from allergies that may cause anaphylactic shock, such as bee stings and peanuts. The shot can be administered immediately without having to wait for emergency personnel.
Your doctor may opt to inject you with small amounts of an allergen to allow your immune system to build up a tolerance to that substance. These shots generally don’t hurt, and over time your symptoms will be reduced or disappear.
How Else Can I Reduce My Allergies?
- Avoid outdoor activities on days when the pollen count is high and run your air conditioner if possible.
- Combat dust mites by cleaning and vacuuming daily. Hard floors are easier to keep dust-free than carpets and rugs. You can also cover your mattresses and pillows to keep the dust mites out.
- Keep your pets clean and out of the house, especially bedrooms.
- Purchase hypoallergenic jewelry whenever possible.