Allergies are among the most common chronic conditions worldwide. Allergy symptoms range from making you miserable to putting you at risk for life-threatening reactions.
According to the leading experts in allergy, an allergic reaction begins in the immune system. Our immune system protects us from invading organisms that can cause illness. If you have an allergy, your immune system mistakes an otherwise harmless substance as an invader. This substance is called an allergen. The immune system overreacts to the allergen by producing Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. These antibodies travel to cells that release histamine and other chemicals, causing an allergic reaction.
Common allergy triggers include:
An allergic reaction typically triggers symptoms in the nose, lungs, throat, sinuses, ears, lining of the stomach or on the skin. For some people, allergies can also trigger symptoms of asthma. In the most serious cases, a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis (an-a-fi-LAK-sis) can occur.A number of different allergens are responsible for allergic reactions. The most common include:
• Pollen
• Dust
• Food
• Insect stings
• Animal dander
• Mold
• Medications
• Latex
If you have an allergy, you should tell your doctor about the symptoms you are having, the time when they happen, how often they occur and what seems to trigger them. Then your doctor may conduct out tests to identify the allergen that is causing your symptoms. The type of test you are presented will depend on your symptoms, the condition of your skin and any medicines you are taking along with it.
The common test includes:
Test is generally the first test which is done while looking for an allergen. The skin is pricked with a small amount of the suspected allergen to see if there is a reaction. If there is, then the skin around the prick will very quickly become itchy, red and swollen.
This testing is considered very safe and can be used on any age group, including babies as the test introduces such a tiny amount of allergen into the skin. It is not be suitable if you have severe eczema or if you are taking any antihistamines.
This test is very apt way for measuring the of IgE antibodies in your blood that is produced by your immune system in response to a suspected allergen. The results are given on a scale from zero to six, where zero being the negative result and six being extreme sensitivity. Blood tests are predominantly useful when you are at risk of an extreme reaction or when a rare allergen is suspected.
Patch test
The test is utilized to find an allergen causing eczema. A very small amount of the suspected allergen is added to a special metal discs, which are then taped to your skin for 48 hours and monitored for a reaction. This test is mostly carried out at a dermatology (skin) department in a hospital.
Some people don’t take allergy medicines because they don’t think their symptoms are serious. They may say, “It’s only my allergies.” This can result in painful problems such as sinus or ear infections. Don’t take the risk. There are many safe prescription and over-the-counter medicines to relieve allergy symptoms. Here is a short list of allergy medicines:
Preventing allergic reactions depends on the type of allergy you have. General measures include the following: