The signs and symptoms associated with allergies can be bothersome and uncomfortable for most people.  Just when you finally decided to spend a long weekend camping with a group of friends, your allergies showed up the minute you reached base. Soon enough, you can’t breathe and you begin to look so bad your friends had to call the camping off because they had to accompany you to the hospital. This may seem familiar because at one point in time, you have experienced this.  You see, allergies do not only affect your life, but also the lives of the people around you.

People will have different reactions to allergy.  While some only experience rashes, watery eyes and nasal congestion, some are unfortunate enough to have severe itching and difficulty in breathing.  The worst would be an anaphylactic reaction, which is actually life-threatening. Symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, breathing and swallowing difficulty, mental confusion and dizziness must be observed and the patient should be brought to the emergency room as soon as possible for proper treatment.

The substances that cause an allergic reaction are called allergens.  When an allergen enters the body, the body will react by producing antibodies that causes several symptoms. In order for you to avoid possible allergy attacks, it is important that you know what triggers your allergies. So what are the possible allergens that cause one to have allergy?

• Animal Dander

  You may be a pet owner but know that you are not spared from pet allergies.  According to studies, 10% of the entire US population is allergic to animals.  But there are many parts or substances in the animals that can cause allergy.  It can be their saliva, urine or dander, another name for ski flakes.  For birds, the bird droppings may cause allergy.  Droppings from hamsters, mice and gerbils can also cause a hypersensitivity reaction.  But what is in animal dander that can cause allergy? Animal dander is not the hair of animals; it is actually the old skin flakes which are regularly sloughed off when they scratch.  If the skin of the animal is dry, it will shed off more dander.  Because it is light weight and tiny, it can easily be released into the air.  Airborne dander is breathed in and will cause allergic reaction to the person who is hypersensitive to such substance.

• Dust mites

  Dust mites are microscopic insects that thrive in the dried skin cells of humans.  Dust mites do not carry any forms of diseases, but they can cause allergic reactions to humans through their feces and the proteins that combine with it.  Because we shed a lot of dead skin, dust mites also eat a lot. This will therefore cause them to produce 20 or more waste droppings in a day.  The protein that is combined in the feces as well as the dried skin that are sloughed off will cause allergic reactions to those who are already hypersensitive. In most cases, the highest population of dust mites is found in bed.  According to research, a two year old pillow’s weight is composed of approximately 10 percent of dead mites and their droppings.

• Food

  The protein in the food that we eat is what causes the allergic reaction.  When a person eats a certain food, the body will react to the different components of that food.  Some people are sensitive to proteins so that when this protein is ingested as part of the food, the immune system will react as if it has encountered an enemy. This protein, which is resistant to digestion, becomes an allergen and will cause the release of antibodies.  When the antibodies are released, it goes through a series of reaction that will eventually cause symptoms such as dermatitis, stomach and intestinal distress and the worst is respiratory distress. Common foods that cause allergic reactions are milk, eggs, peanuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.  Although many of these are outgrown, shellfish and peanuts are usually lifelong allergens.

• Insect Stings

  Honey bees, bumble bees, hornets, wasps and fire ants can inject venom into humans and cause allergic reactions.  The venom they inject is composed of protein and other substances which they use as a weapon against other animals which will result to either the death or paralysis of the animal.  But for people, its effects may cause varying symptoms – from mild symptoms of allergies to deadly anaphylactic shock.

• Latex

  Rubber trees produce a milky sap called latex.  Latex is part of the materials that form gloves, condoms, rubber bands and pacifiers, or any form of synthetic rubber.  There are so many products that have latex as a component. Since it is derived from nature, it contains protein that causes some people to have allergic reaction.  Those who are sensitive to latex would mostly have dermatological symptoms, or contact dermatitis.

• Medications

  Certain components in medications can cause an allergic reaction, so imagine what it would mean if you take several drugs that you are allergic to. Some of these drugs have natural ingredients, mostly from plants, but despite this fact, the ingredients are still perceived by the immune system as an allergen.  Those who develop drug allergies are usually those who have accumulated a large amount of dosage.  For people who develop an allergic reaction to certain drugs, their doctors will usually have a difficult time determining what causes it because it is possible that the minor ingredients of the drug had caused the allergy and not the main component of the drug itself.  Common drugs that cause allergic reactions are penicillin, tetracycline, sulfonamides, codeine, NSAIDs and phenytoin. This is the reason why going for the natural treatment options is highly recommended. Not only is it inexpensive, but it is definitely free from side and adverse effects.

• Pollen

  Allergic reactions due to pollen increases during spring, summer and fall.  At this time, the trees, grasses, flowers and weeds release pollen grains for the purpose of fertilization.  Pollens are carried to great miles through the air.  It is a common occurrence in nature, but when there is too much of it, it becomes a great problem for those who are overly sensitive.  Pollens enter the nose and throat and when this happens, the areas of the mucous membrane of the nose and throat that are touched by the pollen will signal the white blood cells necessary for protective mechanisms to activate.  Pollen season varies since it usually depends on the type of plants and the season.  You cannot prevent pollen grains, even inside the house and with air filter, you can get them. But you can observe yourself by your body’s reaction. Sneezing, coughing, postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose and throat are the usual symptoms that one has pollen allergy, otherwise known as, hay fever.

Sources
medicinenet.com
m.everydayhealth.com
nhs.uk