You get allergies when your immune system reacts to substances like pollen, animal hair, or certain foods. Your antibodies discover these allergens as being harmful to you, even in the event that they are usually not.
How common are they?
Nearly 18 million adults within the United States suffer from hay fever or allergic rhinitis. At least one in three American adults and one in 4 children have allergies.
Doctors don't know exactly what number of adults are diagnosed with allergies for the primary time. However, nasal allergies affect more Americans annually, in line with the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Whatever the case, allergies are all over the place they usually're big business. According to the CDC, they're the sixth leading reason for chronic disease within the United States. And they cost Americans greater than $18 billion a 12 months.
Allergic reactions occur while you come into contact with an allergen. Your immune system responds by releasing histamines and other chemicals into your blood, causing symptoms that may irritate your skin, sinuses, or digestive system.
The most typical allergens include:
- Allergens within the air: pollen, animal hair, dust mites, mold
- Certain foods: Peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, eggs and dairy products
- Insect bites: bees and wasps
- Medication
- latex
Your allergy symptoms vary depending on what you might be allergic to and your exposure to the substance. Allergens can enter your body in several ways:
- Through your nasal passages and into your lungs
- Through your mouth
- Through your skin
- By ingestion through an insect bite
If you've gotten a light allergic response, common symptoms may include:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Sneeze
- Itchy, runny nose
- Feel drained or sick
- Rashes and hives
Food allergy symptoms may include:
- Tingling within the mouth
- Swelling of your lips, tongue, face, or throat
- Hives
- Stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea
- Anaphylaxis
An allergic reaction to an insect bite can cause:
- Swelling, redness and pain at the injection site
- Itching or hives
- Chest discomfort or tightness
- Cough
- Anaphylaxis
A severe allergic reaction can lead to the following problems:
- stomach pain
- Fear
- Tightness in the chest
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- dizziness
- Swelling of the face, eyes or tongue
- Anaphylaxis
If you experience any of these serious symptoms, call your doctor or seek medical help immediately.
Some allergic reactions are mild, but others can cause life-threatening problems, including anaphylaxis, a whole-body allergic reaction. You need to treat anaphylaxis within minutes with epinephrine (epinephrine).
If you have an epinephrine auto-injector, use it and repeat after 5 to 15 minutes if your symptoms have not improved. You must continue to seek medical attention after using an EpiPen, even if you feel better.
Signs of anaphylaxis include:
- Hives and itching all over the body
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
- Hoarseness or tightness in the throat
- Swelling of the face, eyelids, lips, tongue or throat
- Tingling in hands, feet, lips or scalp
If you have signs of anaphylaxis, call 911.
An allergy test measures how your body reacts to certain triggers. If your immune system overreacts, you have an allergy. Your body will produce something called antibodies Immunoglobulin E (IgE).
There are different types of allergy tests. Which one your doctor chooses depends on your symptoms and suspected causes.
Skin prick or scratch test
Your doctor will insert a thin needle containing an allergen into your skin. Or they put droplets of allergens on your skin and then scratch your skin to allow the allergens to penetrate. Your forearm or back could be used for the test. If you are allergic, a rash or raised patches called hives will appear within 15 minutes. You may be tested for multiple allergies at the same time.
Intradermal skin test
If the prick test does not provide sufficient information, your doctor may perform this test next. A small amount of an allergen is injected into the outer layer of skin. The doctor checks for a rash or other reaction.
Patch test
This tests for contact dermatitis, a reaction that occurs when your skin comes into contact with an allergen. Your doctor puts drops of an allergen on the surface of the skin and covers the area with a bandage. Or the allergen may be on the bandage itself. You leave the bandage in place for at least 2 days. Then go back to your doctor, who will remove the bandage and check for a reaction.
Blood sample
Your doctor will take a blood sample and send it to a laboratory. In the laboratory, allergens are added to your blood and then it is tested for IgE antibody levels. This test has a higher rate of false positive results, suggesting that you have an allergy when in reality you don't.
Challenge test
Typically, this test is performed by an allergy specialist called an allergist. You swallow a small amount of a suspected allergen—a food or medication—while a doctor closely monitors you to prevent you from going into anaphylaxis. If you do this, you will receive one I immediately injected adrenaline to stop the reaction.
To prepare for an allergy test, you must stop your allergy medication three to seven days in advance. These medications can interfere with the test.
There is no cure for allergies, not even through diet. But your diet could help ease the worsening of your symptoms. Here are some of the foods researchers are studying to see if they might help relieve allergies.
Good fats
Researchers are studying whether polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent allergies in children. Foods like salmon, mackerel, tuna, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation. Researchers believe that eating these foods may reduce the risk of asthma and allergies in children.
According to a Swedish study, children who had higher levels of these fatty acids in their blood at age 8 were less likely to have nasal allergies at age 16. However, more research is needed to confirm whether this is due to the polyunsaturated fatty acids in their diet or something else.
Mediterranean diet
A large study of children in Crete (part of Greece) found that children who followed a Mediterranean diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, as well as legumes and nuts were less likely to develop hay fever.
Steps you can take to get your allergies under control include:
- Avoid the allergens if you can.
- Take allergy medication .
- Consider allergy shots (immunotherapy), which might weaken your immune system's response. To get probably the most profit, it's good to have allergy shots for 3 to 5 years. This could be an expensive option but offers the most effective hope for long-term relief. The effects may last even for those who stop taking the vaccinations.