Allergy

What is allergy?

Allergy is a response of the immune system to exposure to substances harmless to most people, such as:

  • Pollen
  • Some foods (nuts, milk, egg, fish, wheat, etc.)
  • Some medications (anticonvulsants, insulin, penicillin, antibiotics, sulfonamides, etc.).
  • Mites
  • etc.

Allergy can affect different tissues, however, the most frequently affected areas are the nose, eyes, respiratory tract and skin.

Allergy symptoms

Since allergy affects different areas of the body, symptoms may be more or less intense and differ depending on the trigger. Despite this, there are some symptoms more common than others, such as:

  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing
  • Puffy, watery eyes
  • Itchy nose, mouth, throat and lips
  • Itchy skin
  • Rash and redness
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Asthma
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea and vomiting

Diagnosis of allergy

Allergy can only be diagnosed by specific tests, which include:

  • Skin prick test: a solution of the allergens is applied to the skin, through a needle to promote penetration. If after 20 minutes there is swelling, redness or heat in the area of application it means that the patient is sensitive to the injected substance.
  • Patch test: patches impregnated with allergenic extracts are applied on the forearm or abdomen. The reaction will be slower than that of the prick test.
  • Rapid test: this is a blood test that looks for specific antibodies that the patient should have if he/she is allergic to a certain substance.
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What are the causes of allergy?

Allergy is caused by a genetic predisposition that causes the white blood cells to perceive as harmful some substances that are actually harmless, thus producing many antibodies that in turn release the substances that cause the allergic reaction.

Can it be prevented?

It is very difficult to determine whether allergies are generally preventable or not, because this depends on many factors, such as the patient’s health and the triggering factor. For example, pollen allergies are very difficult to prevent, while food allergies can be avoided by getting children used to not eating certain foods that cause the most common allergic reactions.

Allergy treatments

Depending on the type of allergy, different treatments can be chosen. The most common example is antihistamines, used for allergies to pollen or particular plants. There are also treatments with vaccines to try to stop some types of allergy.

Which specialist to contact?

The specialist to contact for diagnosis and treatment of allergies is the allergist.