What is allergy?



By Joel Escol

You noticed one day that you are sneezing so hard while walking along the street, which made you almost teary-eyed. You wonder what is wrong with you when you know you are a healthy person. But you may not know it, you might have an allergy.

Allergy is a disorder of the immune system. It occurs when a person is exposed or has developed hypersensitivity to harmless substances -- called allergens – such as dust, pollen and molds.

Allergy also occurs when a person is exposed to hairy or furry animals like cats, dogs and rabbits or even mites; has eaten certain food such as peanuts, seafood and eggs or dairy products; has taken some medicines such as penicillin, salicylates and sulfonamides; or is bitten by stinging insects such as bees and wasps.

Other people who are exposed to cockroaches and some types of fabric may also suffer from allergies.

Health experts say allergies are very common. They estimate that around 20% of people living in North America and Western Europe develop allergies when exposed to pollens while all over the world, the number of people suffering from different types of allergies is increasing. 

Based on the study conducted by Allergy UK, at least 30 to 40 percent of people develop allergies at some point in their lives, with the highest increase recorded in children, particularly on food allergies.

According to Dr. Elina Jerschow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, some chemicals used in water purification are partly the reason for the increasing number of cases of food allergies in the United States.

Some allergic reactions are life-threatening, especially when a person is allergic to a particular medicine and has not been treated immediately. This allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis.

In the United States of America, researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found that around 8% of children suffer from food allergy while 38.7% have a history of anaphylactic reactions.
If a person has asthma, exposure to allergens may trigger the condition and requires immediate treatment.

Some forms of allergies are acquired while there are also those that run in the family, which means if both parents have it, their children may also develop allergies at some point in their lives, particularly if they have asthma. This genetic tendency to develop the same allergy is called atopy.

Not all people develop the same reactions to allergens. Most often, a person’s risk of developing allergies increased if other members of the family also have the same allergies.

Most allergies affect different parts of the body, especially the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses. If a person is sneezing hard, the allergen has affected the lining of his nose, which triggers the production of mucus. The lining will become inflamed and swollen, which may result to itchiness. The itchy nose may cause severe sneezing.

Other parts of the body that can be affected when a person is exposed to allergens include the lungs and chest, stomach and skin. 
---  


Joel Escol is an online media professional, Internet Entrepreneur and Network Builder. He has an allergy problem so that he shares to this blog how to properly treat allergy while you will have also the opportunity to not only monitor your allergy but also earn in the process. Joel is now earning $1000 per month online.

BUY ALLERGY EBOOK NOW! CLICK IMAGE TO SEND YOU TO THE STORE

BUY ALLERGY EBOOK NOW! CLICK IMAGE TO SEND YOU TO THE STORE
If you can't wait to read for more articles about allergy treatment, you can buy the ebook at only 5 dollars - with 2 FREE ebooks