Factors affecting the appearance of allergies
Allergies can appear for a number of reasons:
- genetic predisposition (if the parents or one of them had an allergy, the risk of its occurrence in the child is high);
- reduced immunity of the body (with frequent exposure to allergens on the body, a protective mechanism may break and develop an allergy);
- with frequent use of antibiotics (they disrupt the body's immune system, which increases the risk of allergy in contact with allergens);
- with frequent contact with chemicals.
No one is immune from developing allergies. They can appear at any age.
What is an allergy?
According to the mechanism of development, types are distinguishedаллергических реакций немедленного и замедленного действия. В первом случае симптомы появляются уже через несколько часов, после контакта с аллергеном (анафилактические, цитотоксические, иммунокомплексные реакции). Обычно в течение 4-6 часов. Второй тип реакции возникает только спустя 1-2 суток после попадания аллергена в организм (клеточная реакция). Каждый человек имеет определенную реакцию организма на аллерген. На один и тот же аллерген у разных людей появляются различные симптомы. Аллергенов очень много, и их подразделяют на группы. Реакция на пищевые продукты Чаще всего вызывают аллергические реакции такие продукты питания, как яйцо, молоко, рыба, мед, фрукты, шоколад и орехи. Яйца являются аллергеном, потому что в его состав входит альбумин (яичный белок). Именно на него чаще всего возникают легкие реакции. Некоторые люди имеют гиперчувствительность и к желтку, но это встречается довольно редко. Недаром младенцев начинают приучать к яйцам именно с желтка. Аллергикам на яйца стоит исключить из рациона продукты, в состав которых входит яичный белок (майонез, мороженое). Молоко содержит протеин казеин. Именно на него человеческий организм дает реакцию. Кто-то не может употреблять все молочные продукты, а кто-то только происхождения от определенного животного (коровье, козье). Чаще всего аллергические реакции на молоко проявляются в раннем детстве, так как пищеварительная система маленького ребенка еще не может его переносить. Аллергическая реакция на молоко может выражаться в виде боли в желудке, диареи, крапивницы и затрудненном дыхании. При употреблении морепродуктов аллергия может проявиться на рыбу (треску), креветки, крабов, раков, лобстеров, а также на икру и другие продукты, содержащие рыбный протеин. Мед считается сильным аллергеном. Чаще всего на мед появляется реакция у детей, так как родители используют его в качестве профилактики и лечения простудных заболеваний. В состав меда входит много компонентов, которые могут вызвать аллергическую реакцию организма. Она может появиться на сахарозу, пыльцу цветов или фруктозу. Не следует употреблять продукты пчеловодства людям с аллергией к ним. Некоторые фрукты, особенно цитрусовые, способны вызвать аллергическую реакцию. Чаще всего такое происходит при употреблении апельсинов, лимонов, мандаринов, красных ягод (малины, клубники). Детям в рацион эти продукты вводят одними из последних, так как они способны вызвать очень сильную реакцию, вплоть до анафилактического шока. Очень многие любят шоколад, но при его употреблении может появиться аллергическая реакция. Как и при любой пищевой аллергии, организм реагирует на компоненты продукта. Шоколад состоит из какао, молока, орехов и других химических веществ. Именно к этим веществам аллергики имеют гиперчувствительность. Пищевую аллергию могут вызвать орехи, чаще всего арахис. Данный вид аллергии может вызвать у человека анафилактический шок и даже привести к смертельному исходу. При наличии аллергической реакции на арахис стоит исключить из рациона все орехи или употреблять их с осторожностью. Кроме того, не следует употреблять те продукты, которые содержат орехи или приготавливаются на основе орехового масла. 
Drug allergy Hypersensitivity tocomponents of drugs can cause allergies and lead to undesirable consequences. In all instructions for medications, the main contraindication is hypersensitivity to their components. An allergy can be caused by almost any drug, with the exception of those that do not affect the immune system. When a drug enters the body, a reaction can occur immediately or after a few days. Allergies can be mild, with minor symptoms. But with this type of allergy, anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema can occur. Drug allergies can affect the liver, kidneys and lymphatic system. The danger is that in these cases, symptoms usually do not appear. You should be careful when taking medications, especially if you have not used them in treatment before. Be sure to follow the dosages indicated in the instructions. Hypersensitivity to animals Many people, especially children, dream of having a pet that they can take care of. Most often, these are dogs and cats. But it is with the appearance of these animals in the house that an allergy can develop. People believe that allergic reactions occur when in contact with animal fur, and they get hairless cats and dogs. But allergies still occur. The allergen is the animal's skin and its saliva, which gets on the fur when the animal licks itself. Animal allergens can get on the bed, furniture or carpet, and even if the pet is given to relatives, the symptoms will remain. Before buying a cat or dog for yourself or a child, it is worth checking if you are allergic to them. To do this, you can visit friends or relatives who have these animals. Monitor the health of your loved ones. If there are symptoms similar to an allergy, then it is better to refrain from settling a cat or dog in your home, and get an animal that does not cause allergies. But if you still decide to get a cat or a dog if you have an allergic reaction to them, then you should constantly dry and wet clean the house, get rid of carpets. You should not let your pet into rooms where there is furniture on which hair can settle, and you should not allow them to sleep on beds. You should wash your pets regularly to prevent allergens from accumulating.
Insect Bites With the arrival of springthe number of people suffering from allergies increases. This is due to the fact that insects appear during this season. The bites of bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants can cause an allergic reaction. It is normal for the bite site to become red, swollen, and itchy. An allergy to insect bites is the body's reaction to poisonous and toxic substances. Most often, it occurs with multiple bites. The allergy can be mild. But with an acute reaction, anaphylactic shock occurs. People who are allergic to insects should avoid places where there are huge concentrations of them. When the season of their activity begins, allergy sufferers should carry anti-allergy medications with them. Dust, pollen, house mites The cause of an allergic reaction to dust lies in its composition. It includes various microparticles: human and animal skin flakes, flower pollen, cockroach and dust mite particles, mold spores, and fluff. They act as allergens. When inhaling air containing a lot of dust, allergy symptoms may appear. Pollen allergy is seasonal. When plants begin to bloom, pollen gets into the air. It is carried by the wind over a large area. When air is inhaled, pollen enters the human body and causes an allergic reaction. Some chemicals can cause allergies. Allergens include detergents and cleaning agents, paints and varnishes, insect and parasite killers, cosmetics, and preservatives. Some people even have allergic reactions to cold or active sunlight.
Manifestations and symptoms
Each person has individual and varied allergic reactions, but they are divided into the following forms:
- respiratory allergy;
- airway allergy;
- allergic enteropathy;
- allergic dermatoses;
- allergic conjunctivitis;
- anaphylactic shock.
Each form has basic symptoms of manifestationallergies. Respiratory allergy occurs when an allergen (dust, pollen, fluff, animal hair, etc.) gets on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. The main symptoms of this form are itching in the nose, profuse mucus discharge from the nasal cavity, frequent sneezing, coughing. Respiratory allergy manifests itself as allergic rhinitis (runny nose) and atopic bronchial asthma. Allergy of the respiratory tract occurs when bacteria get into them. When the gastrointestinal tract is affected by allergens, allergic enteropathy occurs. This often occurs with food and drug allergies. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea. Allergic dermatoses occur when a reaction appears on the skin. They occur with superficial contact with the allergen and when they enter the body through the gastrointestinal tract. The main forms of skin reaction to allergens are urticaria, itching, eczema, peeling, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis. This type of reaction is caused by many allergens: medications, food products, insect bites, chemicals (paint, cleaning and washing products). When an allergen gets into the mucous membrane of the eye, allergic conjunctivitis occurs. In this case, the body's reaction manifests itself in the form of itching, burning, redness and tearing of the eyes. Swelling of the eyelids may develop. These symptoms occur in both eyes at once. Anaphylactic shock is the most dangerous manifestation of an allergic reaction. It can be caused by medications, insect bites, and also when consuming certain food allergens. Fish products and citrus fruits can also cause anaphylactic shock. If such a reaction occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor. The outcome of anaphylactic shock depends on timely and adequate treatment.
Treatment and prevention
Allergies can be fought.There are several methods to get rid of allergies or prevent the appearance of symptoms. Nowadays, you can buy quite a lot of antiallergic drugs in pharmacies. Special antihistamines (eye and nose drops, tablets) are sold that block the action of histamine and reduce the manifestation of symptoms. Immunotherapy is used to treat allergies. A drug that reduces sensitivity to certain substances is injected into the body. This method cannot cure allergies, but it helps many people to more easily tolerate the symptoms. The desensitization method is also used. In this case, the patient takes small doses of the drug that causes an allergic reaction. Gradually, the dose is increased. Thus, the human immune system gets used to the substance and the body stops reacting to it. It is worth paying close attention to your lifestyle, not exposing yourself to excessive exposure to harmful substances and not consuming excessive amounts of food products that can cause allergies.
