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NEWS & NOTES
Written By:
Sakina N. Bharani, M.D.
ANSWERS TO MOST COMMONLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Three questions
every patient with a CHRONIC condition always wants answered:
*What is my trouble? *What can be done?
*Can I be cured? JUST WHAT IS ALLERGY? Allergy is an abnormal immunologic reaction to substances that are ordinarily harmless. These substances are called allergens and can be encountered via direct contact, inhalation, or ingestion. WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ALLERGENS? Pollen, molds, house dust, dust mites, animal dander, foods, feathers, chemicals, insect stings and certain medications and some unknown factors. WHAT DOES AN ALLERGEN DO IN THE BODY? When the allergen gets into the body of a sensitive person, it stimulates the white blood cells and produces an allergy causing antibody called IgE (Immunoglobulin E). When contact with the same substance occurs again, the allergen reacts with the IgE antibody and releases chemicals like histamine. The chemicals cause the symptoms of allergy. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGY? Sneezing, congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drainage, itchy and watery eyes, tightness of the airways leading to coughing and wheezing, skin rashes and hives, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. WHAT ARE SOME ALLERGIC DISEASES? · ALLERGIC RHINITIS, commonly known as “allergies”, includes a stuffy, runny, itchy nose, as well as irritation of the eyes. The symptoms can occur seasonally, which is commonly known as hay fever, and can be caused by the pollen of trees, grass, and ragweed/weeds. Allergic rhinitis can also be year around, due to mold, dust, house dust mite, animal dander, and roaches. · ASTHMA is a chronic lung condition with coughing, wheezing, and difficulty in breathing from spasm and inflammation of the bronchial tubes. It can be caused by allergens and other factors as well. · ECZEMA OR ALLERGIC DERMATITIS is an itchy rash which often occurs in children and some adults. The rash is commonly seen in arm, leg and neck creases. Food allergy has been linked to eczema in infancy and early childhood in some cases. · CONTACT DERMATITIS is a rash caused by direct contact with allergens, such as poison ivy, cosmetics and household chemicals. · URTICARIA or hives are itchy welts on the skin. These may be caused by foods, medications, chemicals, or an autoimmune process. · FOOD ALLERGY is a reaction to certain foods and may involve symptoms like abdominal cramping, upset stomach, vomiting, rashes and swelling of different parts of the body. · ANAPHYLAXIS is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction which includes symptoms such as hives/swelling, low blood pressure, dizziness, passing out, nausea, vomiting. Some of the causes include foods, drugs, exercise, and insect stings. ARE THERE MANY SUFFERERS FROM ALLERGIC DISEASE? Statistics show that up to 20% of the population has allergies of some kind or another and approximately 15 million people have asthma. ARE ALLERGIES INHERITED? Allergies do run in the family. Sometimes a generation may be skipped. The potential to be allergic is inherited through the genes, but not necessarily the same disease. IS ANY AGE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO ALLERGY? No. Allergy may develop at any age, although children and young adults are affected the most. An individual can experience allergy symptoms for the first time as an adult, although childhood and infancy are the most common times to show the symptoms. CAN ALLERGIES BE PREVENTED? Although there is no definite way of preventing allergies, reaction can be prevented or minimized by finding out the causes and avoiding them. For example, try not to bring a pet into a family where there is a strong history of allergies. HOW TO DISCOVER THE CAUSE OF ALLERGY? The allergist will take a current and past medical history of the illness, study the home and work environment, and perform a physical examination. The allergist may also do skin tests using extracts of common allergens and order lab tests as necessary. After receiving the above information, he/she can determine the cause of the allergy and plan proper treatment. IS EARLY DIAGNOSIS IMPORTANT? Yes. A certain number of patients with nasal allergies (hay fever) may go on to develop bronchial asthma. Even though a small percentage of children may outgrow their allergies, a good proportion continue to have the problem. If allergies are treated early and properly, complications can be avoided. HOW ARE ALLERGIES TREATED? The best way to treat an allergic problem is to stay away from the cause. If that is not possible, certain medications can be used to prevent acute attacks and relieve the symptoms. For mild allergies, medications may be all that is needed. In more severe cases, allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be necessary. These allergy injections contain the extracts of the trouble-causing allergens and they help to build up the tolerance of the body. CAN ALLERGIES BE CURED? Some allergies do improve with treatment and time. However, in most instances, continued treatment is needed to allow the patient to lead a healthy and productive life. CAN AN ALLERGY CONDITION BE FATAL? Allergic disorders are seldom fatal, but in the case of asthma, approximately 5,000 people die each year in the U.S.A. Insect sting reactions causing severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can also cause death. Also, reaction to certain foods, such as nuts and seafood, has proven to be fatal. IS CHANGE IN CLIMATE BENEFICIAL? Hay fever victims may find relief by going to the parts of the country where ragweed pollen is low or not present. Some asthmatics, those with the life-threatening attacks, may benefit from a warm, dry climate. However, with changing weather patterns and introduction of landscape design to regions previously without trees, grasses, and weeds, not all allergies can be avoided by traveling to a different climate. Also, indoor allergens (molds, dust mites, cat and dog dander) are still encountered despite travel to a new location. CONCLUSION: There are a number of abnormal reactions to substances that can cause an allergic reaction. For each there are many ways of treating them. Through environmental control, medications, and immunotherapy, an allergist can help your days and nights to be symptom free!
PLEASE NOTE:
The information in this “News and Notes” represents general guidance in the
field of Allergy.
Nothing
herein stated shall be construed as a specific or implied treatment for an
ailment.
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