Allergy Types and Symptoms
Pathological Considerations: Allergic reactions are manifestations of stress involving the nasal mucous passages and upper air passages. Common symptoms include inflammation of the nasal passages, watery discharges from eyes and nose, and asthmatic breathing.
Physiological Considerations:Hayfever, an allergy phenomenon, results when foreign substances, usually minute particles of protein material, gain access to the bloodstream. Dust, pollen and other airborne detritus will enter via nasal passages, while drugs, foods, bacteria and other substances enter through the digestive tract. Allergic reactions, according to some authorities, are nothing more than the body's reaction to severe stress. Hypoglycemia is very frequently a part of the allergic picture.
Allergies are a disorder of the immune system and are also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur due to environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects, such as wasps and bees.
Mild allergies, like hay fever, are highly prevalent in the human population and cause symptoms such as allergic conjunctivitis, itchiness, and runny nose. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental and dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions and potentially death.
A variety of tests now exist to diagnose allergic conditions; these include testing the skin for responses to known allergens or analyzing the blood for the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE. Western treatments for allergies include allergen avoidance, use of anti-histamines, steroids or other oral medications, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, and targeted therapy.
Signs and Symptoms
- Nose: Swelling of the nasal mucosa (allergic rhinitis)
- Sinuses: Allergic Sinusitis
- Eyes: Redness and itching of the conjunctiva (allergic conjunctivitis)
- Airways: Sneezing, coughing, bronchoconstriction, wheezing and dyspnea, asthma, and in severe cases angiodema - airways constriction.
- Ears: Feeling of fullness, possibly pain, and impaired hearing due to the lack of eustachian tube drainage.
- Skin: Rashes, such as eczema and hives (urticaria)
- Gastrointestinal Tract: Abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, and diarrhea
Many allergens, such as dust or pollen, are airborne particles. For instance, allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, causes irritation of the nose, sneezing, itching and redness of the eyes. Inhaled allergens can also lead to asthmatic symptoms, caused by narrowing of the airways (bronchoconstriction) and increased production of mucus in the lungs, shortness of breath (dyspnea), coughing and wheezing.
Aside from these ambient allergens, allergic reactions can result from foods, insect stings, and reactions to medications like aspirin and antibiotics such as penicillin. Symptoms of food allergy include abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy skin, and swelling of the skin during hives. Food allergies rarely cause respiratory (asthmatic) reactions, or rhinitis. Insect stings, antibiotics, and certain medicines produce a systemic allergic response that is also called anaphylaxis; multiple organ systems can be affected, including the digestive system, the respiratory system, and the circulatory system. Depending of the rate of severity, it can cause cutaneous reactions, bronchoconstriction, edema, hypotension, coma, and even death. This type of reaction can be sudden or delayed. The severity of this type of allergic response often requires injections of epinephrine, sometimes through a device known as the Epi-Pen auto-injector. The nature of anaphylaxis is such that the reaction can seem to be subsiding, but may recur throughout a prolonged period of time.
Substances that come into contact with the skin, such as latex, are also common causes of allergic reactions, known as contact dermatitis or eczema. Skin allergies frequently cause rashes, swelling and inflammation within the skin.
Cause
Risk factors for allergies can be placed in two general categories, namely host and environmental factors. Host factors include heredity, sex, race, and age, with heredity being by far the most significant. There have been recent increases in the incidence of allergic disorders; however, that cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. The four main environmental candidates are alterations in exposure to infectious diseases during early childhood, environmental pollution, allergen levels, and dietary changes. There are also other unknown causes still being researched.
To determine the type of allergy you should try and answer the following questions.
- When is the symptoms of the allergy at its worst?
- What are all the symptoms of the allergy?
- Family history of diseases?
- Complete health history from birth to present age - including vaccinations.
- Were you breast fed? If not, what formula did you consume?
- How much stress do you live with on a daily basis?
After answering the above questions a solution may be found. Submit these using our contact form.
