Everything you need to know about allergies - Part 1

Allergies are hypersensitive responses from the immune system to substances that either enter or come into contact with the body.  Allergies are a very common overreaction of the immune system to usually harmless substances.

When a person with an allergy comes into contact with an allergen, the allergic reaction is not immediate. The immune system gradually builds up sensitivity to the substance before overreacting.

The immune system needs time to recognize and remember the allergen. As it becomes sensitive to the substance, the immune system starts making antibodies to attack it. This process is called sensitization.

Sensitization can take a few days or several years. In many cases, the sensitization process is not completed. The patient experiences some symptoms but not a full allergy.

Allergies may also be seasonal. For example, hay fever symptoms can peak between April and May, as the pollen count in the air is much higher.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics reported that food allergies in children cost the U.S. economy nearly $25 billion annually.

The number of people worldwide with allergies is increasing.

These substances commonly include materials such as pet dander, pollen, or bee venom. Anything can be an allergen if the immune system has an adverse reaction.

A substance that causes an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Allergens can be found in food, drinks, or the environment.

Many allergens are harmless and do not affect most people.

If a person is allergic to a substance, such as pollen, their immune system reacts to the substance as if it was foreign and harmful, and tries to destroy it.

Research indicates that 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children in the United States have allergies.

Allergy facts

•        Allergy involves an exaggerated response of the immune system, often to common substances such as foods or pollen.

•        The immune system is a complex system that normally defends the body against foreign invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, while also surveying for abnormal changes in an individual’s own cells, such as cancer.

•        Allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and that cause an allergic reaction.

•        IgE is the allergic antibody.

•        Although many individuals outgrow allergies over time, allergies can also develop at any age, including during adulthood.

•        While the environment plays a role in the development of allergy, there is a greater risk of developing allergic conditions if a person has a family history of allergy, especially in parents or siblings.

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