IS ALLERGY AN ILLNESS? — EVERYTHING ABOUT ALLERGIES

WHAT IS AN ALLERGY? IS ALLERGIES AN ILLNESS?

It is a condition in which your body reacts unusually to a substance known as ‘allergens’ around you. Often, people have a question in their mind that is allergies an illness and yes, indeed. Without a doubt, your body could react to anything that is often harmless. It differs from one person to another.

It is also called an allergic disease because of the hypersensitivity of the immune system to any substance. Apart from this, an allergy is due to genetic features or environmental factors. It affects your body. Allergies shared among everyone. It is because the rate of allergies is increasing every day.

WHO TREATS ALLERGIES?

Are allergies an illness? And is it treatable? Who treats it? An allergist or an immunologist usually called an allergist. He is a physician specialised as trained to diagnose, treat, and heal. He treats allergies, asthma, and immunologic disorders that also include primary immunodeficiency disorders.

HOW many types of ALLERGIES ARE THERE IN THE WORLD?

There are many different kinds of allergies. Still, researches conducted to find out the exact types of allergies — their causes as well as their treatments. So, answering how many allergies are there in the world is complicated.

• Food allergy
• Skin allergy
• Dust allergy
• Pet allergy
• Eye allergy
• Mold allergy
• Insect sting allergy
• Drug allergy
• Allergic Rhinitis
• Latex allergy
• Cockroach allergy
• Sinus infection

TYPES OF ALLERGIES

FOOD ALLERGY

Food allergy- is allergies an illness is also known as ‘food hypersensitivity.’ It often occurs when your body’s immune system reacts to a harmless food. This substance is known as a food allergen. Some people are allergic to more than one meal. People with food allergies have taken into consideration on a serious note. Because it is one of the most common types of allergies, and also it is a dangerous disease. They are very unpredictable, as it can be mild in nature as well as severe. In particular, there is no cure for food allergies. The only way to be safe in this condition is not to eat that specific food allergen.

• Eggs.
• Allergies from milk items.
• Fish.
• Tree nuts.
• Peanuts.
• Crustacean shellfish.
• Soybean.
• Wheat.

THE SYMPTOMS OF FOOD ALLERGY

• Skin itching, redness, hives, swelling, rash, and red bumps.
• Eyes itching, tears, swelling around the eyes, and redness.
• Mouth Itching, swelling of tongue, lips, or palate.
• Upper respiratory itching, runny nose, nasal congestion, hoarseness, sneezing, and dry cough.
• Lower respiratory Chest tightness, shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing.
• Gastrointestinal Nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, reflux, vomiting, and bloody stools.
• Cardiovascular Dizziness, fainting, rapid or slow heartbeat, low blood pressure and loss of consciousness
• Other Uterine contractions and sense of “impending doom.”

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF FOOD ALLERGY?

Your body’s immune system produces its proteins to fight against bacteria and germs. These self-produced proteins called antibodies. There are various kinds of research conducted to find out the causes of these allergies. But have not found a specific reason yet. A Food allergy caused by a genetic condition or an environmental factor. Young children could be allergic to food more often than elder ones. Nonetheless, they could also outgrow them soon, but elders are not likely to do so.

HOW TO PREVENT FOOD ALLERGIES?

1. READ FOOD LABEL

Unquestionably, the first thing to prevent yourself from the allergy is to check the label. You should always have a note of what you are eating so that your body does not react and get allergic.

1. AVOID CROSS CONTACT OF FOOD

Cross contact refers to an allergen getting transferred to a non-allergen. This will make your body get allergic because you have taken the allergen. So, make sure you avoid cross-contact. Clean your utensils thoroughly because you do not want leftover allergens. Cover all the non-allergen foods in safe order.

1. AVOID CROSS REACTIVITY

Cross-reactivity happens when the proteins in food are like proteins in other food. The immune system may identify the proteins as being the same allergens and cause a reaction.

1. BE AWARE AND PREPARED

Last but not least, recognize your symptoms and be aware of it. Not only should you be well informed, but you also should prepare for all kinds of emergencies that may arise. Keeping an action plan ready is always essential.

SKIN ALLERGY

A skin allergy- often questioned, “is allergies an illness?” It is because of an irritant or allergen as a reaction to it. If you have red, bumpy, scaly, itchy, or swollen skin, you may have a skin allergy. Urticaria, also called hives, is the red, itchy, raised areas of the skin. It can vary in size and appear anywhere on your body as a result of the body’s reaction to specific allergens or for unknown reasons. Hives usually cause itching but may also burn or sting; these symptoms can be proof of having a skin allergy.

WHAT ALLERGIES CAUSE SKIN RASHES?

Skin allergies occur after encountering an allergic trigger. Such as a particular food or medication. Non-allergic causes, such as hot or cold weather, sun exposure, or exercise, can serve as a trigger. To answer the question, “what allergies cause skin rashes?” Firstly, let us know about the contagious and non-contagious skin allergies.

Non-Contagious Rash Allergies

• Hives.
• Miliaria. (Heat rash)
• Atopic dermatitis.
• Diaper rash.
• Psoriasis.
• Nummular eczema.
• Drug eruptions.
• Seborrheic dermatitis.
• Contact dermatitis.
• Stasis dermatitis.

Contagious Rash Allergies

• Chickenpox. (viral)
• Erythema Infectious. (viral)
• Lymphangitis. (bacterial)
• Folliculitis. (bacterial)
• Ringworm. (fungal) infections (tinea)
• Rash and blisters that go with shingles. (herpes zoster virus)
• Scabies. (itch mite)
• Herpes. (herpes simplex, types 1 and 2 infections)
• Molluscum contagiosum. (viral)
• Impetigo. (bacterial)
• Pityriasis Rosea. (viral)
• Rash caused by Neisseria meningitides. (N. meningitides) (bacterial)
• Measles and rubella. (viral)
• Cellulitis and erysipelas. (bacterial)

HOW TO PREVENT SKIN ALLERGIES?

When you are aware of having a skin allergy, the way to prevent it is to maintain proper hygiene. Prevent direct contact from the unhealthy surface. Some of the ways to avoid skin allergies:

• Avoid direct contact.
• Allergies due to heat. Skin allergy can sometimes get triggered because of weather in the atmosphere.
• Maintain hygiene, a shower with cold water calms the skin and helps feel better.
• Moisturize the skin. · When already suffering from allergy, use anti-itch cream 2–3 times a day for healing.
• Let the airflow. Tight clothes such as jeans or woolen clothes can cause an allergic reaction. So, prefer cotton and soft materials which are not harsh on the skin.
• For rashes that are not going away, find a soft cotton piece of clothing. For example, a long-sleeve T-shirt Soak it in water, wring it out, and then put it on. Wear something over it that is snug, but not too tight.

If you are suffering from a skin problem that does not go away on its own, it is necessary always to get it checked out by a doctor. It could be a cause of a medical condition.

DUST ALLERGY

Dust allergy- often questioned, “is allergies an illness?” is caused by organisms called dust mites. It results in itchy skin, sneezing. Dust allergy mites are tiny organisms and cannot appear to the naked eye. These allergies are one of the most common indoor cause of allergies. Besides allergic rhinitis, dust mite allergy can also cause asthma. These dust mites grow from house dust and moisture in the air.

SYMPTOMS OF DUST ALLERGY

• Sneezing.
• Coughing.
• Stuffy or leaking nose.
• Tightness in the chest and shortness of breath.
• Itchy skin and rashes.
• Itchy or teary eyes.

CAUSES OF DUST ALLERGY

• Dust mites.
• Pet hair.
• Pollen. (plant extracts)
• Feathers or fur.
• Mold. (fungus)
• Cockroaches.

HOW TO PREVENT DUST ALLERGY?

• Make changes to your home and your routine.
• Put on a mask or scarf around when cleaning.
• Throw away waste and old materials instead of storing them inside the house.
• Remove more cloth materials, especially in the bedroom, such as excessive curtains, wall-to-wall carpets.
• When aware of dust allergy, keep pets away from the bedroom and get on the bed. · Maintain the right household humidity levels.
• Wash Mattresses, pillows, and bed linens. Dip it in hot water and use mite-proof cases on them.

For severe allergy, get care from an allergist. He can give the right medication and therapies needed for your problem before it comes to a critical medical condition.

HOW TO TREAT DUST ALLERGY?

If you are doubtful of having an allergy, please refer to your nearby allergist. The allergist might have to conduct a skin test. To find out precisely what is causing an allergic reaction on your skin.

After a dust allergy has identified, your allergist will recommend the following treatments:

• Subcutaneous immunotherapy. (Allergy shots)
• Changes to your household routine.
• Oral immunotherapy. (Tablets).

DRUG ALLERGY

A drug allergy- often questioned, “is allergies an illness?” is a reaction in a strange way to the drug consumed. Drug allergy usually triggered by any medication. Also, vaccines and prescriptions. A drug allergy-triggered when your body considers medicine as a harmful substance. It tries to build an antibody defending the medication. This results in an allergic reaction. Hence, a drug allergy can be life-threatening, but it depends on the severity of the allergy and should consult a doctor immediately.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DRUG ALLERGY?

Your body tends to show the signs of drug allergy within an hour or two from consuming the medication. But, other significant symptoms like hives or rashes. It may occur between hours to weeks from the time of consuming the medicines.

Symptoms of drug allergy:

• Hives.
• Skin rash.
• Fever.
• Swelling.
• Cough.
• Joint pains.
• Nausea.
• Itching.
• Breathing inconvenience.
• Itchy, red, watery eyes.
• Leaking or stuffy nose.

Under the influence of drug allergy, you may have one or more of the above symptoms. Depending on the seriousness of the allergic reaction and best treated quick.

CAUSES OF DRUG ALLERGY

Although any medicine can cause an allergic reaction. Some medicines are more associated with allergies. Yet these drugs include:

• Different types of Antibiotics, such as penicillin
• Pain-relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), and naproxen sodium. (Aleve)
• Chemotherapy drugs for treating cancer.
• Anticonvulsants.
• Sulfa drugs.
• Monoclonal antibody therapy — cetuximab (Erbitux), rituximab (Rituxan), and others.
• Medicine for autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
• Chemotherapy drugs.
• Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
• Antibiotics, such as penicillin, tetracycline (Sumycin), amoxicillin (Moxatag), ampicillin, and others.

HOW TO PREVENT DRUG ALLERGY?

There isn’t any prevention of drug allergy besides avoiding the drug itself. That is because a drug has taken when you have suffering over a specific medical condition. It has given to you to heal or cure your medical disease. If you’re allergic to the medicine, you should avoid medication — similar medication to prevent drug allergy. It is a choice between baring the allergy or baring the suffering from a medical condition. Although there are always better substitutes for medicines that might work for you.

Other ways that can help prevent drug allergy:

Make sure your drug allergy has identified, and it is in your medical records. So, when given a treatment to a specific medical condition. Your doctor will consider the drug allergy mentioned in the medical records.

HOW TO TREAT DRUG ALLERGY?

One of the severe reactions to drug allergy is Anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. It causes more than one of the symptoms. For instance, an itchy rash, shortness of breath, vomiting, throat, or tongue swelling. These symptoms usually occur over minutes to hours.

Potential treatments:

• Removing of the drug: When an allergic reaction to the medication identified. Stopping the intake of the drug is the first step in treatment. Often, this may be the only treatment necessary.
• Antihistamines to heal mild symptoms such as rash, hives, and itching on the skin. · Corticosteroids applied to the surface, taken, or injected to the veins. It may use to treat inflammation associated with severe reactions.
• Bronchodilators to decrease asthma-like symptoms wheezing or cough. Hence, in the case of anaphylaxis, usually treated by Epinephrine by injection.
• The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent a severe reaction.

ALLERGY RHINITIS

Allergic rhinitis often questioned, “is allergies an illness?” also called Hay fever or pollinosis. It is a type of inflammation in the nose which occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose. Also, sneezing, red, itchy, and watery eyes, and swelling around the eyes.

SYMPTOMS OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS

• Sneezing.
• Rhinorrhea (excess nasal secretion)
• A runny nose.
• Nasal congestion and obstruction
• A stuffy nose.
• An itchy nose.
• Conjunctival swelling
• Coughing.
• Eyelid swelling
• A sore or scratchy throat.
• Itchy eyes.
• Watery eyes.

CAUSES OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS?

• Dust mites.
• Pet hair.
• Pollen. (plant extracts)
• Spores.
• Feathers or fur.
• Mold. (fungus)

HOW TO PREVENT ALLERGIC RHINITIS?

• Put on a mask or scarf to avoid allergens enter through nose or mouth openings.
• Throw away waste and old materials instead of storing them inside the house.
• Remove more cloth materials, especially in the bedroom as excessive curtains, wall-to-wall carpets.
• Avoid being near spores.
• Maintain the right household humidity levels.
• Avoid being around too many plants or touched by it.
• Do not let pets too close.

HOW TO TREAT ALLERGIC RHINITIS?

• Self-help
• Mild allergic rhinitis is treatable with medicines. You buy from a pharmaceutical store, such as long-acting non-sedating antihistamines.
• You are cleaning your nasal passages.
• Medication such as Corticosteroids or Antihistamines depending on the allergic condition.
• Add-on treatments such as usage of nasal spray to take with your other medication. Combining antihistamine tablets with corticosteroid nasal sprays, and also decongestants.
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WHAT ARE SOME OTHER ALLERGIES?

1. INSECT STIN ALLERGY

Insect sting allergy is an allergy caused due to an insect bite or a bee sting. It can cause quick swelling, redness, itching, or a bump. If the reaction is normal, that means it will not cause much harm other than redness, itching, and swelling. But, if the response is severe, you need to go to a doctor as soon as possible.

1. PET ALLERGY

Pet or an animal allergy is getting reacted when in contact with a particular pet or an animal. It can cause due to the skin or saliva of a pet. It often leads to itching, sneezing, or sometimes it can be severe like asthma. Go to a doctor immediately if you have a problem breathing, blocking of nose, or difficulty in sleep.

1. EYE ALLERGY

Eye allergies mostly caused due to the environmental factors around you. It occurs when your eyes are in contact with natural substances. For instance, dust, eye drops, or cosmetic products. Also, other air-borne materials. One of the primary reasons might also be due to wearing contact lenses.

1. LATEX ALLERGY

It is a reaction to substances found in rubber latex. It generally causes itching, rashes, redness. Apart from this, the severe reaction causes difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis is one of the most severe allergic reactions that a person gets.

1. MOLD ALLERGY

Mold allergy is a reaction that caused to a person when he/she breathes in mold spores. It can be present at home or outside as well. It causes itching, redness, sneezing, and coughing. Thus, it is a significant risk when you get exposed to mold substances. For instance, when farming, baking, carpentry, etc. It might lead to asthma in some severe cases.

1. SINUS INFECTION

Sinus infection also called “sinusitis.” In particular, it is a condition in which your nose area gets inflamed. It leads to continuous sneezing and headache. Most of the time, a bad cold is mistaken for sinus due to sneezing and coughing. If your infection is more extended than eight weeks, then you should go for a CT scan and consult a doctor.

Triggering of Sinus allergies due to monsoon: Due to the atmosphere of the storm, it is more likely to get a severe sinus infection. It recommended to cover yourself with a good layer of clothing. Hence, it helps to prevent sinus allergies due to monsoon.

WHICH ALLERGIES ARE MOST DANGEROUS?

Besides, many allergens are like other substances. Sometimes, the body’s immune system mistakes it as an allergen, causing overreaction. This condition called Anaphylaxis in which allergies are most dangerous.

The allergies that cause anaphylaxis, listed below:

• Food allergy
• Drug allergy
• Latex allergy
• Insect sting allergy

IS ALLERGY AN EARLY SIGN OF PREGNANCY?

Having a question in mind is allergies an illness? Is allergy an early sign of pregnancy? Then know that pregnancy can do some unusual things to your body. In particular, there might be nasal congestion, which is an early sign of fertility. As there is an increase in blood supply, there might be little swelling in the nasal passage. It may lead to congestion. Congestion is one of the symptoms of allergies. This is also known as Pregnancy Rhinitis.

CHILD ALLERGIES

Is allergies an illness for a child? A child can develop allergies more than an adult, but that is due to the fact of history from families. Without a doubt, parents can’t see that what their child gets expose. Primarily, they should focus on monitoring their child for any potential symptoms. Identifying the common symptoms in a child during his or her early age. Hence, it will help in improving the quality of life of the child.

Moreover, your son or daughter is struggling with any of the below symptoms, start taking action on the problem. Consult a doctor as soon as possible.

THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS FOUND IN A CHILD

• Skin rashes or hives (atopic dermatitis or eczema).
• Difficulty breathing — asthma.
• A runny nose.
• Itchy eyes.
• Stomach upset.

THE COMMON TRIGGERS THAT LEADS TO ALLERGY

• Tree pollen
• Plant pollen
• Insect bites or stings
• Pet or animal fur
• Dust mites
• Mold
• Cigarette smoke or ash dust
• Perfume
• Vehicle exhaust
• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Milk and dairy products

HOW TO PREVENT ALLERGIES IN A CHILD?

• You are feeding your child, the most common food allergens before the age of one. It can reduce the risk of them getting an allergy to that food.
• Firstly, if your child is allergic to a particular food allergen, do not feed your child that food. It may seem obvious, but taking precautions is necessary.
• If you find any common symptoms mentioned above, in your child. You must immediately consult a doctor as soon as possible to avoid difficulties in the future.

NATURAL WAYS TO TREAT ALLERGIES

Apart from this, regular medications and treatments. One can find a natural remedy to get relief from allergy suffering. Excess usage of drugs and injections might have side effects in some cases. To avoid, always prepare and curate an emergency plan for your allergy. So, you get instant relief and can consult a doctor if it is severe later on.

1. CLOSE WINDOWS

Always make sure that you close your windows and doors on a windy day because the pollen count outside is high. You should protect your indoor air and, if possible, use an air filter to avoid any dust or pollen.

1. KEEP CLEAN

When you go outside for work, to school or college you are in contact with all kinds of dust, pollen. For instance, any air-borne particles in the environment. Especially as soon as you enter your home, remove your shoes outside and bath. So that there are no chances of allergens stuck on your body for a long time. Keeping yourself clean is always necessary.

1. A MASK

Furthermore, it is not possible to clear the air. And also, control all the dust particles and pollen that comes your way. So, it is advisable, wearing a mask will help in reducing the air-borne allergens.

1. HEALTHY DIET

Without a doubt, a healthy diet is always good for your body. Eating fresh fruits and veggies is good. It will increase your chances of not getting an allergy, but there is no proven fact yet.

YOUR TAKEAWAY ON ALLERGIES

Last but not least, taking care of your indoor and outdoor environment is essential. Prevention is always better than cure, so keep a check any of the above symptoms and consult the doctor. Are allergies an illness? The answer to it is yes and all the necessary information provided above. Allergies always differ from person to person. It is because of their family history or other environmental factors.