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Allergies

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a signal that your body is working like it's supposed to. The problem is that it works too well and doesn't recognize that the allergin is not an 'invader'. For some reason, some people's bodies see certain allergins as if they were germs that need to be handled by them. When the antibodies attack, it causes all the symptoms of an allergy attack. If you consider how you feel when your body attacks an actual bacteria or virus, it will give you a good idea what it feels like to have an allergy attack. For some of us, our bodies are constantly battling allergies and so continue to have symptoms on a daily basis.

When the body begins to fight the perceived threat, it releases chemicals, including histamine. Most allergy medications are histamine blockers. They try to block the histamine chemicals from doing their job. Flonase, another allergy helper, helps alleviate the inflamation associated with allergies.

One reason we may react to allergens is that they contain protien similar to what we eat. Protien is a compound that contains several good things we need to live, so they are everywhere.

Anyone can have allergies and almost anything can be an allergy. Suffering from allergies is a common human complaint and on the rise. The major problem with allergies, besides their obvious discomfort is that they can bring on other problems. This is especially true for those with asthma. The importance of asthmatics with allergy induced asthma to avoid their particular allergens cannot be stressed enough.

Then there are those that go into anaphalactic shock when exposed to allergens. This can be anything from a nut allergy to a bee sting allergy. These people must carry a shot with them and must recieve the shot as soon as possible after coming in contact with the allergin or they could die. The rest of the population may be inconvenienced and and uncomfortable, but those with these kind of allergic reactions and asthma, as well as other conditions, have to be especially careful.

Learn more about this author, Angela S. Young.
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