Common Allergies

 Common Allergies

Know Your Allergy - Common allergies are unusual body responses like mild cough, skin rashes or other types of irritation brought about by an imbalance in the immune system.  It is described as “unusual” or “exaggerated”  because the foreign substance, also known as allergens , are usually harmless to the majority except for a few who experience sudden discomfort.

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Irritation occurs when the body has direct contact with the allergens.  For example, it can be an ingredient in a soap or other beauty product that can suddenly cause itchiness. It may be a preservative in a snack that can cause the face to swell, or a spice ingredient that can give you an upset stomach. It can be as simple as dust in air that brings about sneeze attack. Almost every substance in the environment can be an allergen and  may enter the body through the skin, mouth, stomach intestine or the  lungs.

If you suddenly experience common allergies like mild cough, sneeze attack , or skin rashes then you are clearly allergic to that particular allergen. Some can have more severe symptoms which can lead to serious illness or even death.

Common allergies occur because the body cannot accept a particular allergen or foreign substance.  The immune system immediately detects the harmful substance and so it produces an antibody called IgE or E-class immunoglobin to fight it. This triggers the release of different kinds of chemicals, including  histamine. Allergic reaction takes place when the cells release histamine to the skin, lungs, nose or the intestines.

Common allergies come  in many forms.  Airborne allergy is caused by unseen particles in the air like pollen, mould spores,  house dust mites or dander-  a mixture small particles from your pet’s fur, skin scales and saliva.  This condition is also known as allergic rhinitis.

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Common allergies also cause asthma attacks. Asthma is triggered  by sensitive and inflamed lung airways. When exposed to the allergen the airways are irritated that thus causing  cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and  chest tightness.

Insect bites and other foreign substances can bring about Skin Allergy. The result can range from localised redness and swelling like hives or rash however major skin flare-up in the form of eczema or dermatitis can also take place.

Also in the list of common allergies is food allergy. This is  when an exaggerated reaction occurs after food intake.   This happens because the digestive system does not have the particular enzyme or chemical, needed to break down the food for digestion.

Food allergy symptoms includes mild reactions like hives to full-blown anaphylactic shock where the patient experiences a sharp drop in blood pressure that causing breathing difficulties.

Allergy medications are prescribed to reduce the body’s reaction.  This can be in the form of pills, liquids, nasal sprays, eye drops, skin creams and shots (injections). Some medications are available over-the-counter, while others are available by prescription only.

It is always safe to be very vigilant about common allergies . It may not happen to you, but should any emergency occur you would know how to extend medical assistance.  While some allergies mild others can be life threatening as in the case of food allergy symptoms, which commonly take place in public gatherings or restaurants.

Tags: asthma, health, allergy, allergies