A person can conceivably be allergic to nearly anything these days.
"Allergies are “a mistake of the immune system,” according to James R. Haden, M.D., an allergist on the medical staff at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, TX. “[They] are an immune reaction to a non-infectious agent – an overactive response to something to which the immune system should not be reacting at all.”
There are many theories as to why allergies occur and why their incidence is on the rise. Haden speculates that, “It seems to have to do with our diet, exposures, and overly sterile lifestyles, as well as possibly the overuse of antibiotics, and exposure to certain types of pollution.”
He adds that the propensity to develop allergies is largely an inherited trait, but that environmental factors and exposures also play a large role.
Unfortunately, there is no scientifically proven way to avoid the development of allergies nor any proven homeopathic remedies either. So, if you are one of the many who find yourself overly sensitive to the likes of pollen from grasses, weeds and trees, molds, dusts, animal dander, insect venoms, foods, even medications, metals, and some chemicals, there is a good chance there is an allergy to blame.
Keep in mind however, that while the term “allergy” denotes a specific subset of immune reactions, this should also be differentiated from “sensitivities,” which can occur independent of any immune response, according to Haden.
Chung-En Huang, MD, an Otolaryngologist (ENT) specialist on the medical staff at Methodist Charlton Medical Center in Dallas, TX, adds that, “An allergy is a condition of hypersensitivity to a substance allergen considered harmless to most people. Exposure to such a substance causes the body to undergo a reaction, resulting in symptoms like sneezing, rashes, and even difficulty breathing.”
Therefore, now that you know that an allergy just might be causing you discomfort, the next step is to figure out what is causing the allergy, which can vary from food, medication or even just dust floating in the air.
“Allergy testing can tell you what you are allergic to, but like any medical test, allergy tests must be interpreted by a physician knowledgeable in allergies, says Richard L. Wasserman, M.D., PhD, Medical Director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Medical City Children's Hospital, Dallas, TX. “There is always the potential for false- positive and false-negative tests, especially for a food allergy; and interpretation is important to put the test result in the context of the individual allergy suffered by the patient.”
Wasserman says too, that it is possible to develop an allergy to anything that exists in nature, and almost any newly synthesized chemical.
The good news however, is that a person can outgrow an allergy.
“Certain food allergies in children are more often than not outgrown in early childhood, including milk and egg allergies,” says Haden. “Nut and fish/shellfish allergies are usually not outgrown. The later in life an allergy develops, the less likely it will be outgrown.”
Often medication allergies tend to remit over several years or decades if the drug is completely avoided in the intervening time. For example, many people who have mild allergic reactions to penicillin, as children, do not react when exposed as adults, many years later. This is less true for people who have had life-threatening reactions to drugs.
Then, there are the environmental allergies, which for the most part are not outgrown and according to Haden usually tend to increase over time. You can prevent allergies however, if one avoids exposure to the allergen or treats it with medication before exposure.
“Things that help to prevent infants or children from developing allergies, include breastfeeding, using hydrolyzed milk formula, mothers avoiding smoking, or allergenic food during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Other things inlcude, late introduction of high allergenic food to the child, ridding the house of dust mites, as well as the use of probiotics and omega-3, which also seem to reduce allergies,” adds Huang.
“For allergies that affect the eyes and nose, the most effective treatment is prescription nasal spray, which is about twice as effective as oral antihistamines,” says Wasserman. “Oral antihistamines and decongestants are useful for nasal symptoms and allergy shots, and when done correctly, are significantly effective for about 80 to 90 percent of patients.”
If you do have allergies, first understand that you do not have to live with it. Discuss your symptoms with a physician, and if possible, use medications to control the symptoms when necessary.
Sidebar:
Top six things people need to know about allergies.
Richard L. Wasserman, M.D., PhD, specializing in Allergy/Immunology
- Poorly controlled allergies that cause nasal symptoms in young children increases their risk of developing asthma.
- Knowing if you are allergic to an indoor allergen, dust mites, mold, or pets, and eliminating that allergen by environmental control can eliminate symptoms without medications.
James R. Haden, M.D., Allergist
- Few medical conditions can affect health and quality of life in as many different ways as allergies. Some examples include, allergy-induced sleep disturbances and all related sequel, recurrent infections, and headaches, asthma (70 percent is triggered by allergy), missed days of school and work, decreased productivity at work and school, general misery, limitation of enjoyable activities and hobbies, limitation of diet, and many others.
- Some allergies are life threatening and should be treated as such, specifically food and venom allergies, and allergen-induced asthma.
Chung-En Huang, MD, an Otolaryngologist (ENT) Specialist
- Not all sneezes and rashes are allergies.
- The treatment of allergies is often effective.