Allergy Overview
I have gotten several questions about allergies. Allergies are really complex. That’s why there are entire fields of medicine, research, and drugs devoted solely to this one topic. I’m going to do my best to give a simple overview, and then if I haven’t answered a question to your satisfaction, let me know and I’ll get more detailed.
Allergy symptoms are caused by an immune response to an invader. Colds and flu have similar symptoms, because it is a similar mechanism. Virus, bacteria, pollen or other allergens enter the body, the body says, “Oh, I don’t think so. Get out of here.” The body releases histamine, usually at the entry point, so if you breathe pollen, for example, you develop respiratory symptoms; if it is something you eat, you might have gastrointestinal symptoms or a whole body systemic reaction.
The immune response due to allergies is an overreaction. In most cases, the food, pollen, or other invader is not a serious threat, but your immune system decides it is. No one is 100 percent sure why this happens in some people and not others. It is thought that the problem is partially genetic, and there are some theories about allergies increasing due to fewer immune challenges when we are infants because we live in relatively clean houses and eat and drink cleaner things than we used to as a species. Then if our immune systems encounter any little thing, they freak out.
There are a lot of medications you can take for allergy symptoms, both prescription and over the counter. Many antihistamines cause drowsiness, even the ones that are labeled non-drowsy, so always test them on yourself at home first rather than at work. Decongestants can make some people really hyper, especially kids. Read the labels on both types of drugs carefully, because there are warnings if you have high blood pressure or arrhythmias, as well as glaucoma and a couple of other things.
Antihistamines are the meds that actually help decrease allergy action. Decongestants are more for treating symptoms. Together they can be really helpful if they are safe for you.
Cats. I had a cat allergy question. There are no truly hypoallergenic cats. Some people will tell you this or that hairless cat or cat with less dander is hypoallergenic, but many of the allergies to cats are allergies to a compound in cat saliva. Cats bathe in their saliva, so they’re pretty much covered with it. Weekly cat bathing can help with this, and if you start when they are kittens, they usually don’t mind it that much. However, a lot of bathing can dry out the cat’s skin, so you have to keep that in mind.
If you have allergies to pets in your home, keep them out of the bedroom. Keep things clean, because skin cells and dander can hang around in carpet or dust. Use an electrostatic furnace filter, and run the fan all the time even when the heat or air conditioning is off to help keep the allergens down.
Allergy shots are another treatment for chronic allergies. They help some people a great deal, but they don’t help everyone. They are often given on a weekly basis. Sometimes an allergy is too severe for the shots to be safe.
Allergies can start when you are a kid, and you can grow out of them, or not. They can start any time as an adult. You can be stung by a bee today and not have a reaction, and tomorrow get stung again and have anaphylaxis. The first sting could sensitize you. That goes for any allergen. It is fairly common to develop new allergies in your late 20s or early 30s. Again, no one is really sure why that is.
The best way to know what you are really allergic to is to be tested. There are several ways to do that: the old scratch test, where you have umpteen labeled poke spots with allergens scratched into your skin, the patch test which is less invasive and not always as accurate, and RAST testing which is a blood test that looks for immune reactions to allergens. The fastest, cheapest, and many say the most accurate is the scratch test.
A personal lesson: for years I thought I was allergic to cottonwood trees. When the fluff went flying through the air, I was always miserable. But after testing, we found out I was allergic to something less obvious that blooms at the same time. So sometimes what you think is an obvious connection and a clear allergy really is not.
Allergies can be life threatening. That’s anaphylaxis. This is most commonly heard of related to bee stings, peanuts, and shellfish allergies. People carry epi-pens to self-inject when they’ve been exposed. Sometimes you have to have steroids to settle down a bad allergic reaction as well.
Anaphylaxis usually starts within minutes, with numbness and tingling around your mouth, hives, itching, flushing or paleness, vomiting, diarrhea, a weak and rapid pulse, dizziness or unconsciousness, and your tongue and throat can swell so rapidly you can’t breathe. These symptoms mean you call 911 (or whatever is your emergency number), do not drive yourself to the urgent care or wait to see if it gets better.
Allergies can be mild and annoying or life threatening. When in doubt, always check in with a health care professional.
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