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Thursday 6 March 2014

Allergies

Allergies are abnormal reactions to ordinarily harmless substances. The sensitizing substances, called allergens, may be inhaled, swallowed, or come into contact with the skin.

Allergens that most frequently cause problems are: pollens, mold spores, house dust.mites, animal dander, foods, insect bites or stings, plants, insect spores, latex rubber, viruses, bacteria, medications and environmental conditions (luch as cold temperatures). Allergic reactions can occur in one area, such as sneezing or ikln rash or sneezing, or mnv Include more than one .

Allergies

experience - by encountering, battling and remembering one enemy after another. For decades, medical science has taken advantage of this ability by using vaccination to create immunity - the immunologic memory of a disease. Allergic reactions occur after the immune system mistakenly leams to recognize innocent foreign substances (allergens) as potentially harmful.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS OF ALLERGIES


The fundamental cause of allergy is still not known. The problem has a tendency to run in families. An allergic individuals more likely to have relatives who are allergic than would be expected on the basis of chance, but non-hereditary factors apparently play a part as well. Individuals can be affected by a variety of allergic diseases. The most common allergic diseases are:

Allergic rhinitis is a general term used to apply to anyone who has allergy-based symptoms. Allergic rhinitis can be a seasonal problem allergic rhinitis (commonly known as hay fever or pollen allergy) or a year-round problem (commonly known as perennial allergic rhinitis). Hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis is caused by allergy to pollens of trees, grasses, weeds or mold spores. Perennial allergic rhinitis is caused by house dust, animal dander, mold and some foods.

Asthma is caused by intrinsic and extrinsic (inhaled) factors. Intrinsic factors are pollens, dust, dust mites,

animal fur, animal dander or feathers. Extrinsic factors are respiratory infections; a cough, cold or bronchitis; exercise and tobacco smoke or other air pollutants, and can be caused by an allergy to a particular food or medication.
Eczema, also known as allergic dermatitis or atopic dermatitis, can be caused by foods or other allergens.
Contact dermatitis is caused by exposure to certain plants (such as poison ivy or poison oak), cosmetics, medications, metals and chemicals.

Urticaria, also known as hives, is caused by allergy to foods, such as nuts, tomatoes, shellfish and berries. Hives inn also be caused by medications, such as aspirin and penicillin.

SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIES


The signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis are:
ineezing, often accompanied by a runny or clogged nose
coughing and postnasal drip
Itching eyes, nose and throat
ll«raic shiners (dark circles under the eyes caused by
increased blood flow near the sinuses)

the allergic salute (in a child, persistent upward rubbing
l Il* nose that causes a crease mark on the nose)
an inflammation of the membrane that linn* eyelids, causing red-rimmed, swollen eyes and  of the eyelids

The signs and symptoms of asthma are
a feeling of tightness in the chest
breathlessness
coughing   
difficulty inhaling and exhaling
noisy breathing ("wheezing").
The signs and symptoms of eczema, contact dermatitis and urticaria are:
red, itchy skin
inflamed skin
welts (in hives).

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