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Allergy: Frequently Asked Questions

What is an allergy?

An allergy is an abnormal reaction to ordinarily harmless substances. These substances, called allergens, may be inhaled, swallowed or come into contact with the skin. When an allergen is absorbed into the body it triggers white blood cells to produce IgE antibodies. These antibodies attach themselves to mast cells causing release of potent chemical mediators such as histamine, causing typical allergic symptoms.
An allergy is the body's immune system response to specific elements in the environment. Children with allergies react to certain substances in their everyday environment, which usually don't cause reactions in other children. About 20 percent of Americans-one in every five adults and children-have allergies, including allergic asthma. About 80 percent of children with asthma have allergies. Food allergies occur in 8 percent of children younger than age six.
An allergy is a sensitivity to a normally harmless substance, one that does not bother most people. The allergen (the foreign substance that provokes a reaction) can be a food, dust particles, a drug, insect venom, or mold spores, as well as pollen. Allergic people often have a sensitivity to more than one substance.
An allergy causes the body to 'overreact' to substances that are normally harmless. The body regards those substances as harmful intruders against which it must arm itself. Allergens enter the body by inhalation or via food, skin contact, administration of medicines or insects.

Is allergy hereditary?

Allergic diseases can develop at any age and heredity plays a key role in who will develop it. If one parent has an allergic disease, the estimated risk to the child to develop allergies is 25 per cent and to 50 per cent if both parents have allergies. Also, the allergic mother is more likely to transfer the disease to the child as compared to an allergic father .

Is an allergy dangerous?

Most allergies are not dangerous. An anaphylactic shock reaction, on the other hand, is. It may even be life-threatening, but this severe form is fortunately rare. Although most allergies are not dangerous, they are often a great nuisance. Severe symptoms may cause great discomfort during day-to-day activities, such as cycling, driving or sports. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments nowadays.

What are the benefits of allergy testing and allergy injections?

Allergy testing and hyposensitization (allergy injections) are the only therapies available to directly desensitize your pet to the allergens in their environment. This therapy is 70-80% effective, but often requires 12-18 months for maximum benefits. Injection immunotherapy is safe and has no long-term side-effects. Dogs and cats have fewer side-effects than people who undergo this therapy. Benefits of the therapy include fewer bacterial and yeast skin/ear infections and decreased itching. ...

Is there an allergy to amalgam?

Single components might cause allergies. A dermatologist or a specialist for allergies might do an allergy test.

IS THIS AN ALLERGY TEST?

Acute allergies (IgE or Type 1 allergies) are when a person has a severe and usually very immediate reaction to food such as breathing difficulties, swelling of tongue, mouth, lips, eyes or throat, large itchy red lumps on the skin, continuous sneezing or watery, itchy eyes. These types of allergies usually develop in early childhood, are lifelong and often run in families. An allergy test looks for a very specific response to food - a high production of a particular anti-body called histamine. ...

What Is Allergy Immunotherapy?

Immunotheraphy, also known as Allergy Immunology, is a procedure in which an allergy patient receives very small dosages of an allergen, administered over a long period of time in order to increase that person's tolerance towards the allergen and decrease the person's symptoms. Immunotheraphy is usually recommended to people who have year round allergies or those where normal medication does not or hardly works. It works best for those with allergies for inhaled allergens( like pollen) or insect stings. ...

What are the symptoms of food allergy?

Not everyone will get all symptoms, and the signs and severity of reactions will vary from person to person. They can also differ from one attack to the next in the same person. That said, symptoms include: Tingling in the mouth Swelling of the tongue and throat / feeling of throat tightness Itchy skin, hives or skin redness Abdominal cramps Vomiting or diarrhea Breathing difficulty, wheezing Faintness due to a sudden drop in blood pressure In a severe anaphylactic attack, the allergic ...

What is a food allergy?

As with any allergy, a food allergy develops when the immune system attacks a normally harmless substance and creates specific antibodies for this substance. From this point on, whenever the food allergy sufferer eats the food to which they're allergic, the antibodies respond by releasing histamine, which causes allergic symptoms to appear.
People with food allergies have immune systems that react to harmless substances found in food and drink. These substances are called allergens. When people have an allergy, there are antibodies to the allergens in their blood and throughout their body. When that person eats a food to which they are allergic, the food allergens react to antibodies on cells releasing chemicals. Any food can cause an allergic reaction, but only eight foods cause nine out of ten reactions. ...
The immune system mistakenly believes that a harmless substance, in this case a food item, is harmful. In its attempt to protect the body, it creates specific antibodies to that food. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals and histamines in order to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system. Related Links: http://www.foodallergy.org

What is oral allergy syndrome?

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) normally affects people who are allergic to some type of pollen. People with ragweed allergy, for example, may experience itching and tingling of the mouth, tongue, and throat after eating watermelon, cantaloupe, banana, or cucumber. OAS is due to cross-reactivity between certain pollen proteins and food proteins, meaning that the immune system cannot distinguish between the two different proteins. ...

What is allergy testing?

What is allergy testing? If you are "allergic", you are reacting to a particular substance. Any substance that can trigger an allergic reaction is called an allergen. To determine which specific substances are triggering your allergies, your allergist will safely and effectively test your skin or blood, using tiny amounts of commonly troublesome allergens. Allergy tests are designed to gather the most specific information possible so your doctor can determine what you are allergic to and provide the best treatment. Top 33

What is latex allergy?

Allergic responses to latex (rubber) products. Typical symptoms include watery eyes, wheezing, hives, rash, swelling, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis (a life threatening reaction). These responses can occur when items containing latex touch the skin, the mucous membranes (like the mouth, genitals, bladder or rectum), open areas or bloodstream (especially during surgery).
Source: sbahgc.org
latex allergy occurs when a person has an allergic response to the latex proteins and/or the additives used during the manufacturing process. The reactions range from mild (skin rash, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes) to extreme (facial/throat swelling and difficulty breathing).
Top A latex allergy, or hypersensitivity, occurs when a person's body's immune system reacts to the latex proteins and/or the additives used during the manufacturing process. The reactions range from mild: skin rash, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, to an extreme of: facial or throat swelling, and difficulty breathing.

Are there any allergy problems?

The center contact is stainless steel. For the vast majority of people, stainless steel is considered hypoallergenic. In rare cases, some people can have an allergic reaction to stainless steel after they have had piercings on their body. No GrindAlert customers have yet reported any allergic reaction. Guarantee
Source: bruxcare.com

How is a latex allergy diagnosed?

If you think you may be allergic to latex, see a doctor familiar with the condition. It can be diagnosed with a medical history, physical exam and either a blood test or skin sensitivity test. The blood test involves looking for latex antibodies in a blood sample. For the skin test, an extract of latex is used to scratch or prick the skin. If you are allergic to the product, redness or swelling may appear at the scratch. ...

What is a pet allergy?

A pet allergy is an allergic reaction to a pets dander and/or saliva. Over 10 percent of the nation are allergic to their pet. Symptoms to pet allergies come in the form of sneezing, itchy watery eyes, a runny nose, and itchy face and throat

What is silver allergy?

Silver's allergenic potential is extremely low. There exist only a few recorded cases of allergy in people who have been in constant contact with high concentrations of silver – for example silversmiths or silver miners. Most people who believe they have a silver allergy actually have an allergic reaction to nickel, because silver used for jewellery often contains nickel. Standardized testing confirmed that the Elastoplast Silver Healing™ line with silver technology is skin-friendly.
Silver's allergenic potential is extremely low. There are only a few recorded cases of allergy in people who have been in constant contact with high concentrations of silver – for example silversmiths or silver miners. Most people who believe they have a silver allergy actually have an allergic reaction to nickel, because silver used for jewellery often contains nickel. Studies show that Elastoplast SilverHealing™ plasters are skin-friendly.
Silver's allergenic potential is extremely low. There exist only a few recorded cases of allergy in people who have been in constant contact with high concentrations of silver – for example silversmiths or silver miners. Most people who believe they have a silver allergy actually have an allergic reaction to nickel, because silver used for jewellery often contains nickel. Standardized testing confirmed that the Hansaplast MED with Silver Technology line with silver technology is skin-friendly.

What exactly is a food allergy?

A true food allergy involves an immune system response from the body. The body identifies an offending food as harmful and releases antibodies to attack it. This triggers the release of histamine, thus precipitating the outward symptoms of an allergic reaction. These may include itching in or around the mouth, hives, nausea, stomach pain, difficulty breathing and/or anaphylaxis. ...

What is Mold Allergy?

These are the symptoms that can cause people to have a reaction to high concentrations of mold spores in the home or work environment. Over a period of time the body’s immune system will break down and the subject will experience flu like symptoms. Examples: nasal congestion, inflammation of the sinuses, headaches, and cough just to name a few.

What is a metal allergy?

Many every day metals can cause a Type IV allergic reaction in genetically predisposed individuals. This allergy is mediated by T-lymphocytes (white blood cells) that have had prior contact to a given allergen (memory lymphocytes). When they are exposed to the sensitizing allergen, these memory lymphocytes respond by enlarging (lymphoblast transformation) and dividing (proliferation). ...

What if I have an allergy?

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Is there a cure for food allergy?

Currently, there is no cure for food allergy. Avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction to food.
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