An Allergy is a hypersensitivity to foreign substances which are normally harmless but which produce a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to eliminate something it considers unsuitable. Typical allergic reactions are hay fever, migraine, asthma, allergic rhinitis, digestive disturbances, coeliac disease, conjunctivitis, urticaria, eczema, drowsiness, CFS, hyperactivity in children, tinnitus, recurrent sinusitis and ear infections. In a few people, the histamine (anaphylactic) reaction can cause muscle cramps, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death from shock or suffocation.
Types
There are different types of Allergies, the most common being type1. When an allergen encounters cells capable of antibody formation, they then form IgE antibodies, which bind to the surface of other cells, called mast cells and basophils. In response to the attachment those cells release chemicals, called mediators of anaphylaxis, among them histamine. Those chemicals cause allergic reactions such as swelling or the secretion of mucus.
Almost any substance can be an allergen for an individual. Common allergens include certain foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetic and certain food additives.
Health Alert You Must React Immediately To Potentially LifeThreatening Allergies
By News Canada (NC)Does this sound familiar? Your doctor has shown you how to use an autoinjector for adrenaline in the event of a severe allergy attack, but you are dreading the day it is needed..
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An Allergy is not the same as intolerance. Allergies always involve the immune system, whereas intolerance, e.g. lactose intolerance, is caused by a lack of lactase, the enzyme that converts lactose into glucose.
Causes
Allergies may have many different causes-from pets to pollen to certain types of medicine and foods. In addition, allergic symptoms may be just as varied. While no one can predict when or how an allergy will develop, you can learn how to keep allergies under control by following a treatment plan and avoiding the things that aggravate your allergic symptoms.
Symptoms
Health Quick Tip Help Your Child Cope With Food Allergies
By News Canada (NC)Some children have problems with certain foods, ranging from mild intolerances to lifethreatening anaphylactic shock. Indeed, any food can trigger an allergic reaction, with th..
By News Canada (NC)Some children have problems with certain foods, ranging from mild intolerances to lifethreatening anaphylactic shock. Indeed, any food can trigger an allergic reaction, with th..
When allergies flare up, they may cause a considerable amount of discomfort and inconvenience, but having allergies does not mean you have to struggle with your symptoms. Understanding how to help keep allergies from interfering with the things you want to do may make a big difference in how you feel and how you live.
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