How Allergic Reactions Occur
Seasonal allergies are also popularly known as spring allergies. They are called seasonal allergies because they occur particularly in the spring months due to pollen released by plants.
They generally begin in early spring and continue until the end of autumn. These vary depending on the diversity of plants. Grass or lawn pollens are seen from the beginning of summer to the end of summer, while weed pollens are seen from the end of summer to the end of autumn. Patients show allergic reactions during whichever season corresponds to the pollen they are sensitive to.
Allergic reactions can appear in patients as allergic asthma. This condition presents as shortness of breath, coughing, a feeling of tightness in the chest, and wheezing complaints. Outside of these seasons, asthma patients are generally more comfortable. Besides asthma, there is also a type of allergy called allergic rhinitis, popularly known as hay fever. Patients with this allergy also frequently experience, during the season corresponding to the pollen they are allergic to, complaints such as runny nose, sneezing, watery nasal discharge, sometimes nasal congestion, itching in the nose, itchy and red eyes, itching in the palate and throat, itching in the ears, and sometimes coughing.
These complaints can become severe enough to make patients' lives miserable. In addition, patients may experience skin allergies popularly known as hives, urticaria and angioedema complaints.
Nowadays, many people are genetically predisposed to allergies. We call conditions that present as eczema, asthma or allergic rhinitis atopy. Recently, atopic conditions where we cannot clearly identify the causative factor have become more common. Evidence supporting this is as follows: many children of growing age come down with similarly recurring infectious illnesses. This is because the immune system cannot fight these conditions sufficiently and cannot mount an adequate immune response against allergens.
Another possible factor is atmospheric environmental pollution, as well as chemicals used in food, medications and household products, along with the rise in cesarean births. A healthy gut flora is essential for the immune system. However, this is a serious problem in children born by cesarean section. It is also thought that increased antibiotic consumption during childhood facilitates the development of allergies. Whatever the cause, more people today are affected by this condition and visit doctors with allergy-related symptoms.
WHAT IS ALLERGY
Allergy is an increased or altered reaction to substances that are foreign to the body. Eczema, allergic asthma, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, or similar conditions are outcomes produced by an external agent. The most commonly encountered allergens are house dust, pollen, the fur of pets such as cats and dogs, and food items such as milk and eggs.
In allergic bodies, the immune system mistakenly believes the allergen will cause harm and produces special substances called antibodies (IgE) against the allergen that enters the body. This causes the release of histamine and many other substances from other blood cells, and an allergic reaction with symptoms occurs. This reaction can occur when the allergen is taken in through the respiratory tract, digestive tract, or bloodstream, or through contact with the skin, eyes, or airway. Moderate reactions can cause itching or redness, while severe reactions can result in serious conditions including anaphylaxis.
In my next article, I will continue by describing ‘’the symptoms of allergy.’’