An allergic reaction occurs when the body's defense mechanisms overreact to a normally harmless substance. The immune system is designed to recognize and attack any foreign substance that may be dangerous. In those who have allergies, the immune system becomes hypersensitive and causes a reaction to substances that are harmless to most people. According to MayoClinic.com, the immune system produces IgE antibodies that are responsible for the immune response. An allergic reaction is characterized by runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, headache, or in some severe cases, breathing problems and swelling. Some allergic reactions can be life-threatening, but most are simply annoying. There are many different types of allergies, each with its own trigger mechanism.
Hay Fever
When most people think of allergies, what comes to mind is seasonal hay fever. This is one of the most common forms of an allergic reaction and is due to the inhalation of pollen from various plants, grasses, trees and weeds, such as ragweed. The pollen is identified by the hypersensitive system as dangerous and foreign and so the body attacks, setting off an immune response. The result is not serious but can cause many of the typical allergy symptoms. It may be helpful to avoid the outdoors during peak seasons and times of day when pollen counts are high.
Food Allergies
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies. When food is ingested and a hypersensitive immune system reacts, the results can be potentially fatal. An offending food will cause the sudden release of histamine and other chemicals that lead to the reaction symptoms. Common foods that cause allergies include peanuts, eggs and dairy, seafood and wheat. There are no medications to treat food allergies and avoidance of particular foods is the only way to avoid an attack.
Pet Allergies
A very common allergy is a pet allergy. According to eMed TV.com, current research shows that pet allergies are not usually due to pet hair, but are due to proteins found in pet saliva. When a pet licks itself it deposits these proteins on the fur, making them easily accessible to human owners. Avoidance of pets and places they have been is the only current way to avoid an allergy attack. Pet allergies are generally not serious, but can cause itchiness, sneezing and a runny nose.
Latex Allergy
Latex allergies are becoming more common, especially among health care workers who have more exposure to latex. The term latex refers to a natural rubber substance commonly used in gloves for health care workers or in balloons. With the rise in frequency of latex allergies, the manufacturers of products previously made of latex have begun making them from synthetic substances. Common symptoms of a latex allergy reaction are rash, itchiness, hives and even shock.
