Normally present at very low levels in plasma, antibodies of the immunoglobulin E (IgE) isotype were first discovered in 1967, decades after the description of IgA, IgG, and IM. IgE antibodies are produced primarily by plasma cells in mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue and their levels are uniformly elevated in patients suffering from atopic conditions like allergic rhinitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. Production of allergen-specific IgE in atopic individuals is driven both by a genetic predisposition to the synthesis of this isotype as well as by environmental factors, including chronic allergen exposure. (more…)

By definition, allergy is a condition where a person has hypersensitivity to an environmental, drug, or food antigen (allergen) caused by an altered or unusual immune system reaction to the antigen.

Allergenic foods can impact the lungs when an allergic reaction individual inhales food particles that may have been released when the food was cooked or that were dispersed in aerosol form. Allergy to the allergens in cooked food has been reported by highly allergic patients who were exposed to their allergenic foods (say, fish, shellfish, or eggs) in an enclosed area (for example, a restaurant dining room) or during meal preparation. Most cases of asthma triggered by aerosolized food allergens involve adults engaged in specific occupations that regularly expose them to the allergens. In contrast, most cases of asthma in children are triggered when the allergen is eaten, not inhaled.

Many experts believe that if a baby can be protected from becoming sensitized to the most highly allergenic foods when their healthy immune system and the digestive tract are in the most vulnerable stage for allergy to develop, the incidence of lifelong food allergy and potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reactions to foods will be reduced and hopefully entirely prevented. When a baby has been identified to be at risk for developing allergy, measures to reduce allergic sensitization might be implemented at birth and the problems associated with future food allergy may be significantly reduced. However, as we shall see in later discussions, experts disagree on the best way to avoid this early allergic sensitization.

The reaction of asthmatics to these chemical compounds is not an allergy, but is more correctly described as allergy intolerance because the initial response is not a triggering of the immune system. The process involves an increase in the level of the inflammatory mediators that are responsible for the bronchospasm of asthma. These mediators include histamine and leukotrienes. They are released during the reaction to an allergen, and cause the muscular contractions that result in the difficulty in breathing and wheezing that are typical of asthma. By inhibiting (or turning off) other types of mediators, the chemicals in the food additives cause an increase in the level of antihistamine and leukotrienes. This results in increased bronchospasm, and a definite worsening of the asthma symptoms.

Oral allergy syndrome is an allergic reaction to food that is confined to the oral cavity (i.e., to the lips, and around the lips, roof of the mouth, tongue, hard and soft palate, and uvula) and adjacent structures. It differs from other food allergy in that its symptoms do not appear in any other location in the body, and always accompany respiratory allergy to inhaled allergens of plants, particularly plant pollens. Of course, symptoms in the mouth, throat, and upper respiratory tract can be part of a generalized reaction to foods, but in this case they are more accurately described as oral allergy symptoms. The term oral allergy syndrome applies specifically to pollen allergy (pollinosis) accompanied by reactions to certain raw foods when they are in direct contact with oral tissues. Individuals with Oral allergy syndrome typically have hay fever symptoms caused by allergies to trees, grasses, and weeds. They experience irritation in the mouth (lips, tongue, roof of the mouth) and sometimes the throat after eating specific types of raw fruits, vegetables, and sometimes nuts.

Discovering natural treatment for allergies is still the main goal for a growing number of people suffering from allergies. At the moment, most of them are depend heavily on allergy pills and allergy drugs. More than often the side effect of this allergy medication are causing something that are worse than the allergy itself.

Allergies occur due to continuously exposure to allergens. (more…)

Avoidance of respiratory irritants such as environmental tobacco smoke, whether actively or passively inhaled, is universally recommended and is considered to be fundamentally important in the successful treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Control of environmental airborne allergens such as house dust mites for prevention of asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis/What Does Eczema Look Like is also widely recommended, although not supported by all studies. (more…)

Gastrointestinal allergy can be classified according to the triggering antigen, the mechanism of immune reaction, or the anatomic site of reaction.

Gastrointestinal allergy may be triggered by food components (e.g. food proteins or glycoproteins), and by other antigen antibody reaction to (e.g. bacterial disease, viral, fungal, and worm antigen), drugs and chemicals, (more…)

Many children are living with asthma. Asthma is a lung disease because the constriction of small airways (bronchioles). When this happens, there is moderate to severe difficulty in breathing came with by wheezing. Even though wheezing is not always heard but most of the time it is always present. (more…)

It is quite likely you’ve known someone with a severe allergy. From peanuts to gluten, such food allergies have grown to be much more common in recent decades. Fortunately, severe food allergy awareness has improved too. Food allergies are no laughing matter; many people need to be rushed to the emergency room or risk their very lives over these foods.

A few individuals go through food intolerance rather than a food allergic reaction which may cause confusion; they are distinct conditions which may trigger different responses. (more…)

Pet allergies are allergic reactions that happened to pets more like allergy reactions that people have. But unlike allergies reactions in human, pets do not get runny noses or watery eyes. Most of pet allergies symptoms appear only on their skins. That’s why you see when your pets have allergies to something, your dogs or cats have tendency to scratching, licking and chewing part of their skins. Pet allergy symptoms may come along seasonally in some time during spring or summer, but the allergy reactions in your pets can be permanent and need a serious treatment.

Pet allergies symptoms may have demonstrated in frequent scratching or bites themselves. (more…)

It is estimated that more than 12 millions of American are having food allergy. About 4 percent of adults are having this disease and nearly 6 to 9 percent children under the age of 3 are having the same illness. The prevalence of food allergies is rising, where the most common food allergy in children are caused by milk allergy in children, eggs, peanuts allergy and tree nuts. In adults, the most common allergic reaction are triggered by peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish and eggs. (more…)

The incidence of allergy and asthma is rising. On the other hand, primary care physicians have dealt with allergic conditions far more often than they may expect even before the recent increase in allergic reactions and conditions. Some examples of immunological disease that the primary care physician sees include asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis.

Bellow are 10 important facts about allergies, common symptoms, treatment and specific allergen.

1. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) estimates that 40 to 50 million people in the United States suffer from allergies.
2. Many plants carry pollens that can trigger allergies, but ragweed is the most common. In fact, 75 percent of people with seasonal allergy symptoms are allergic to ragweed, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).
3. The primary treatment for any allergy is avoidance, or refraining from contact with the triggering allergen. Though many allergy drugs can help alleviate the symptoms of an allergic reaction, only avoidance can completely prevent an allergy from occurring.
4. While indoor allergies and allergens are not usually seasonal like many types of outdoor allergens, late summer usually sees higher levels of dust mites (due to higher humidity), molds and some pollens (which can be tracked indoors or brought in on clothes).
5. The airborne waste created by dust mites is the source of most dust allergies. Dust mites are microscopic arachnids (spiders) one-third of a millimeter long that live indoors in household dust. Between 100 and 500 dust mites typically inhabit a single gram of dust, though in some cases the number can soar to 19,000.

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