Allergies

Allergy is an immune reaction of the body that occurs when exposed to an external substance, generally harmless. The most common allergens are proteins from foods, dust mites, animals, pollen, and molds.

The allergen can come into contact with the body by being inhaled, ingested, injected, or through skin contact, causing the immune system to produce antibodies against that protein. When the body comes into contact with the allergen again, the antibodies release chemicals that can cause allergy symptoms, such as histamines.

The most common allergy symptoms are nasal congestion, sneezing, tearing, dry cough, asthma, skin or digestive system conditions, depending on the substance involved. The severity of the reaction can range from mild to very severe, potentially leading to a life-threatening immune reaction, anaphylaxis.

Allergy treatment includes medications to relieve symptoms, as well as allergen immunotherapy. In the case of a severe allergic reaction, epinephrine may be administered. As prevention, the only option is to avoid exposure to allergenic substances.

Diagnosing allergies is vital to prevent exposure to the same allergens and to choose the appropriate immunotherapy treatment. To identify the allergen causing the allergic reaction, skin tests or direct exposure to provoke an allergic reaction may be performed, or blood analysis. Blood tests determine either the amount of antibodies in the individual against various allergens, called immunoglobulin E (IgE), or the specific allergen.