When it comes to allergens, you do not have much breathing room for they are everywhere. However, they are everywhere in varying quantities so be sure to be at places where their presence do not count for an attack. So where exactly can they be found in high quantities?
In the substances you ingest
It is not uncommon to hear people ranting about the foods that cause them allergies. In fact, a substantial number of people are allergic to certain types of foods. However, allergens can also be found in other substances we typically ingest such as drinks, medicines and others.
The usual foods and medicines that cause allergies are the following:
Drugs- These include Penicillin, Salicylates, Sulfonamides and local anesthesia.
Foods- Foods that have components which are oftentimes treated by the body as allergens are celery, corn, wheat, cow’s milk, legumes, eggs, pumpkin, soy, seafood, seashells, tree nuts, and sesame.
The substances we ingest often serve as the medium for the transference of allergens from outside the body into the bloodstream and internal organs. This explains why allergens are not only spotted in the gastrointestinal tract but in other areas in the body as well.
When the entry point of the allergens is the mouth the typical symptoms that arise are nausea, throat and tongue swelling, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Symptoms may also affect nasal breathing as well as the integrity of the skin.
In the air you breathe
Pollens, mold and dust are the three top things that cause allergic reactions when breathed. However, there are other common allergens that can be taken in along with oxygen such as dust mites, spores, dander and small insect body parts. Like all allergens, most of these are harmless to persons with normal reactions to these common substances. But they trigger a variety of reactions to people who are allergic to them.
Common plant pollens that are suspect for causing hay fever, a type of allergy, can be categorized into three: grass pollens (which include pollens from timothy-grass and ryegrass), weed pollens (which are inclusive of ragweed, nettle, plantago, sorrel and artemisia vulgaris), and tree pollens (which include birch pollen, alder pollen, wollow pollen, poplar pollen, olea pollen and hornbeam pollen).
These allergens normally pass through the air conditioning and heating systems which is why it is very important that these systems are regularly checked for the accumulation of dirt, slime and other unwelcoming objects.
In the substances that come in contact with the skin
Most allergens invade the skin, which is the largest surface of the body that the allergens can actually come in contact with. The problem with some allergens is that they are not only localized on the skin, some tend to get absorbed by the skin whereby the allergen can transfer to other sites in the body.
Inflammation of the skin is a typical sign of allergic reaction. Allergens on the skin, however, do not cause inflammation through the IgE but through cells of inflammation which is one of the immune system’s antibodies. Common substances that induce allergic reactions are metals, latex, cosmetic, chemicals, substances from poisonous plants. Insect bites and stings can also act as allergens.
As one can see, prevention of allergy triggers actually roots from knowing and preventing the allergens from contacting your body or from invading your system.