Do you have an allergy? Do you suddenly feel like your head would explode or your skin is burning due to the unexplainable itchiness that you feel? Needless to say, allergies can truly make you uncomfortable. Anyhow, what do you know about them? How do they attack? What causes them? Who gets prone to them? Where do the allergens come from? There are thousands of questions that may be lingering in your mind. Then again, you need some time to discover more about this body reaction. You must fairly understand that not all people tend to exhibit the same kind of reaction. There are those who are not allergic to certain foreign substances while there are others with bodies that tend to take them differently. This article is about to bring you more knowledge about allergens and their effects.
The Allergens at a Closer Look
Generally, allergens are everywhere. They take the forms of dust mites, pollens, grasses, foods, pet dander, to name a few. The allergens are known to be the special kinds of antigens which prompt the allergic reactions of the body. The body is technically protected by the immune system. Now if it recognizes some foreign invaders, a part of the immune system gets turned on and then starts to generate the antibodies to combat the foreign substances. This results to the allergic reactions.
The diseases and their symptoms actually depend on the route and level of entry and exposure of the body’s susceptibility to the allergens. The allergens are comprised of various chemicals so the reaction is largely dependent on the part of the body that has been exposed. Simply put, the airborne pollens will produce a little effect when it gets in contact with the skin but it will be entirely different if the food allergens get ingested. In short, the allergens may be ingested as in the case of food allergens, inhaled as in the case of airborne pollens and animal dander, applied onto the skin, or injected into the body as in the case of an insect sting.
The Symptoms of Allergy
It is necessary that you come to know the symptoms of allergy so that you will be aware if you are already suffering from it. Basically, a person is said to have an allergy if his immune system reacts to a normally harmless substance.
There are two kinds of allergies that you must become familiar with. They are the perennial type as well as the seasonal type. The perennial type is the one that occurs for the whole year round whereas the seasonal type only breaks out at a certain time of the year. Of course there are measures to keep in mind.
It involves the need to stay away or avoid the allergens and that of applying some kind of medication. The symptoms involved likewise depend from one person to another. They are influenced by the triggering allergen and the way the body takes it.
The common effects of the allergies are mild to severe itching, shortness of breath, rashes, anaphylactic shock, coughing, sneezing, itchy nose, eyes, and throat, watery eyes, conjunctivitis, nasal congestion, swelling of nasal passages, and several others.
Young and old alike can exude them depending again on how their immune system reacts to these foreign substances.