Allergy: definition, symptoms, causes, medication, prevention, etc.

Definition

What is an allergy?

Allergy is an overreaction of the immune system when a foreign substance enters the body. The foreign substances that trigger this condition are known as allergens.

Under normal conditions, the immune system only reacts to foreign substances that threaten health such as bacteria, viruses, and the like that cause disease. However, the trigger for this condition came from something that was not dangerous.

Examples of triggers are food, pollen, medicine, dust, and cold air. The body of people in general will not react negatively to these things, because the immune system can distinguish which substances are dangerous and which are not.

However, some people's immune systems are not like that. Their bodies who have this condition will overreact when exposed to the trigger. These reactions are sometimes so severe that they can be life threatening.

Types

What are the types?

Everything around you can trigger this condition. This is why the types are so wide and varied. However, based on the cause and location of the symptoms, these conditions can generally be divided into the following.

1. Food

Food allergies are caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the proteins in food ingredients. Foods that often trigger allergies are seafood (fish, shellfish, shrimp), nuts, eggs, and wheat and its derivatives.

For sufferers, eating very little food that causes allergies can trigger indigestion, rashes and itching, to shortness of breath. In rare cases, a food allergy can cause a severe reaction that can be life threatening.

2. On the skin

Allergies to the skin can be triggered by many allergens, from mites to food to cold air. In addition, the use of latex and nickel-based products, unclean water, and drug consumption are also frequent triggers.

The most common forms of skin allergies are eczema (atopic dermatitis) and hives (hives). The difference is, eczema has symptoms in the form of redness, irritation, and dry skin, while hives are identical to large reddish rashes.

3. Medicine and latex

Not many people react negatively to certain medications or substances such as latex, so it can be said to be allergic. This condition is also usually difficult to diagnose because it is seen as a symptom of a drug side effect or simply irritation.

In drug allergy, the most frequent trigger is the antibiotic penicillin. There are also cases of allergies to anticonvulsant drugs for seizures, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, and chemotherapy drugs.

Meanwhile, latex allergies, this condition is more experienced by people who often wear latex products such as rubber gloves or condoms. Reactions like itching and rashes generally occur after wearing these products.

4. Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that is triggered by an allergen or irritant. This reaction usually occurs in areas of the body that are in direct contact with these substances.

The most common triggers include chemicals in cleaning products, detergents, and plants such as poison ivy. The affected skin generally experiences a rash, itching, pain, and sometimes is covered with fluid-filled blisters.

5. On the eyes and nose

Allergies to the eyes and nose are usually caused by an inhaled allergen. The allergens may come from mites, plant pollen, or dust floating in the air. The allergen granules are so small that you inhale them without realizing it.

Once inhaled, the body will perceive it as a danger and cause an immune system reaction. Symptoms that often appear include sneezing, itching, runny or stuffy nose, and red, watery eyes.

6. Animal and insect bites

In animal allergies, allergens basically do not come from the animal's hair itself, but from saliva, dandruff, feces, or urine that sticks to the fur. These substances contain certain proteins that the body considers a threat.

Likewise with insect allergies. Allergens come from toxic substances that insects release when they sting you. The substance is actually harmless, but the immune system overreacts because it perceives it as a threat.

7. Others

If you are allergic to food, dust, pet dander, or chemicals in cleaning products, these are among the most common allergens. However, these are only a handful of the dozens of allergens that are around you.

There are still many triggers for this condition that may be rarely recognized, such as:

• mold and lichen spores,
• sesame seeds,
• Red meat,
• citrus fruits,
• mango and avocado,
• sunshine, and
• sweat.

This rare condition is usually more difficult to diagnose. This is of course worrying, because you can experience a severe allergic reaction without realizing the trigger. Immediately visit a doctor if you suspect a substance or substance triggers allergy symptoms in your body.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms?

Everyone may show different allergy symptoms. The severity can vary from mild to severe. If you are exposed to allergens for the first time, you may experience mild symptoms such as.

• a rash (red rash on the skin that feels itchy),
• blisters or peeling skin,
• itchy, stuffy nose. or watery,
• red, swollen, watery, or itchy eyes,
• sneezing, and
• stomach ache.

Symptoms can get worse if you are repeatedly exposed to allergens. A severe allergic reaction can cause symptoms such as:

• stomach cramps,
• pain or tightness in the chest,
• diarrhea,
• difficulty swallowing,
• dizziness (vertigo),
• fear or anxiety,
• flushed face,
• nausea or vomiting,
• heart beat,
• swelling of the face, eyes, lips, or tongue,
• weak body,
• cough wheezing,
• asthma attack,
• difficulty breathing, and
• lost consciousness.

When do you need to see a doctor?

If over-the-counter drugs that are sold in pharmacies cannot relieve allergy symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. You should also visit your doctor if your symptoms interfere with sleep and daily activities.

In addition, go to the emergency room immediately if the allergic reaction is severe and appears suddenly within seconds of exposure to the allergen. This type of reaction is known as anaphylactic shock.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis to watch out for are difficulty breathing and a sudden and drastic drop in blood pressure. Without immediate treatment, this condition can result in death within 15 minutes.

Cause

What causes allergies?

Until now, experts and doctors are still not sure what causes allergies, or what causes the immune system to react differently to certain substances.

Even so, please note that allergies run in families. If a close family member has allergies, you are at greater risk of developing the condition.

A healthy immune system is able to tell which substances are harmful and which are not. However, some people's immune systems are unable to work like this.

Their immune system creates immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and releases histamine to attack certain allergens. The next time you are exposed to the same allergen in the future, the immune system will continue to produce the same reaction.

If you are repeatedly exposed to the triggers for this condition, it can make the allergen bind more strongly to immune cells. As a result, your symptoms may develop, multiply, or get worse.

Risk Factors

Who is at risk for allergies?

There are a number of factors that make a person more at risk of developing this condition, namely:

• Family history. If anyone in your family has allergies, it is very likely that you can catch them too.
• Still a kid. Children are more at risk of developing allergies, but this risk may decrease with age ..
• Suffering from asthma. Asthma puts you at risk for many other allergies.

Diagnosis

How to diagnose this condition?

Doctors can diagnose allergies by looking at your medical history and performing a number of tests. If your allergic reaction is severe, you may be asked to keep a detailed journal of your symptoms, what triggered them, and when they appeared.

After looking at your medical history, your doctor will perform several tests to determine what substances are allergens. The most common types of allergy testing include:

• Skin tests to determine the cause of the body's reaction to the allergen. There are 3 types of skin tests viz prick testing, patch testing, and intradermal testing.
• Challenge test or a challenge test to diagnose a food allergy.
• Immunoglobulin E (IgE) blood test to measure the antibodies that cause allergic reactions and their effect on the body.
• Complete blood count (CBC) or a complete blood count used to count the white blood cell count of eosinophils.

In addition, the doctor can follow up on previous tests with the following procedures.

1. Elimination test

Your doctor will advise you to use or avoid any suspected allergens. This aims to find out if your reaction gets worse or improves after exposure to the substance.

In order to see how air affects your body, your doctor will also need to check how you react to changes in temperature. Meanwhile, for food allergies, doctors can test it orally by giving you a small amount of food that is suspected of being an allergen.

2. The test on the eyelid

Sometimes allergens are also liquefied and dropped into the lower eyelid to check for a specific reaction. Since this procedure can be risky, allergy testing should only be done under close medical supervision by an allergist.

Medicine and Medicine

How to treat allergies?

The best way to relieve allergy symptoms is to avoid whatever is causing it. If you are allergic to peanuts, for example, stop eating any foods that contain peanuts as soon as you become aware of them.

Allergies are conditions that generally cannot be eliminated or completely cured. Therefore, you must be prepared for allergic reactions that can arise at any time. You also need to be extra careful when traveling to a new place.

The good news is, you can avoid allergens and control the symptoms that appear with medication. Usually, your doctor will suggest medication depending on the type of allergen, what reaction you have, and how severe your symptoms are.

The following are commonly used allergy medications.

1. Antihistamines

Antihistamines can be purchased over the counter or obtained by prescription. This drug is available in several forms, including:

• capsules and pills,
• eye drops,
• injection,
• fluids, and
• nasal spray.

2. Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs that are available in several forms, namely:

• creams and ointments for the skin,
• eye drops,
• nasal spray, and
• inhaler for the lungs.

People with severe symptoms can get a prescription for a corticosteroid pill or an injection that has a short-term effect. Corticosteroid drugs can also be purchased over the counter or by prescription.

Repeated use of corticosteroids without a doctor's supervision can have dangerous side effects for health. Always consult steroid use with your doctor and have yourself checked if there are other complaints.

3. Decongestants

Decongestants are medicines to relieve nasal congestion. This medication is usually available as a spray. Do not use decongestant nasal sprays for more than a few days as they can have the opposite effect.

However, decongestants in pill form do not have the same side effects. People who have high blood pressure, heart problems, or prostate problems, should use decongestants with caution.

4. Allergy shots

Immunotherapy injections will be given if the body cannot avoid allergens and the patient experiences symptoms of reactions that are difficult to control. Allergy shots work by preventing the body from overreacting.

The injections will be given from the lowest dose, and subsequent injections will contain steadily higher doses until the maximum dose is reached. Injections must be used regularly for optimal effect.

Injections cannot be used by everyone, and you must visit your doctor often to get these injections. Make sure you consult your doctor regularly.

5. Sublingual Immunotherapy Treatment (SLIT)

Sublingual immunotherapy treatment is a non-injection treatment procedure. Medicines are placed under the tongue to reduce the symptoms of a severe reaction. Initially, the drug was administered at a low dose, then increased slowly.

6. Epinephrine injection

Severe reactions or anaphylaxis need to be treated with a drug called epinephrine (EpiPen). Epinephrine works by dilating the airways and increasing blood pressure that was compromised by anaphylactic shock.

First aid to allergic reactions

Allergic reactions vary greatly from person to person, so they have different allergy first aid. You may only feel itching after being exposed to dust, but other people may experience life-threatening reactions.

Mild reactions can go away on their own or with the help of drugs. However, in a number of cases, the patient was unable to use the drug because the reaction was very severe.

If someone closest to you experiences this reaction, help him to use it. If the person is unconscious, you should seek emergency help for them and do the following to prevent shock while waiting for help:

1. Check if the person is still breathing.
2. Lay the person on their back on a flat surface.
3. Raising the person's feet higher than the heart
4. Covering his body with a blanket.

If certain situations prevent you from getting emergency help, take the person to the emergency room immediately. You also need to do this when the person is in anaphylactic shock.

Can allergies be completely cured?

The idea of ​​completely curing allergies is like having to change the work of the immune system in response to allergens that attack the body. Changing all these processes is very difficult. In other words, there is no way to completely cure allergies.

However, that doesn't mean you have to give up on yourself in dealing with this condition. You can prevent and control symptoms by avoiding the allergy triggers you have.

For example, you can reduce going out when the weather is windy, sorting out the types of food that will be consumed, to regularly changing the sheets at least once every 2 weeks.

Follow up by taking medications that help relieve symptoms, both over-the-counter drugs and those prescribed by your doctor. In this way, the risk of recurrence can be reduced to a minimum.

Prevention

How to prevent allergies?

You may not be able to prevent an allergic reaction. However, there are ways to prevent allergies as follows.

• Avoid exposure to allergens.
• Seek medical care if you are exposed to allergens.
• Carry drugs to prevent and treat anaphylaxis.

The following are also believed to reduce the risk of this condition:

• Provide exclusive breastfeeding to children for the first six months of life.
• Adjust your diet if you have a family history of this condition. Consult the type of food and restrictions with the doctor concerned.

The importance of going to an allergy doctor

In some cases, a general practitioner can treat and diagnose allergies. However, if the condition is moderate to severe or cannot be treated with common allergy medicines, you may be referred to a specialist.

Before your doctor's visit, ask if there are any specific instructions for your exam. Your doctor may need special documents or ask you not to eat or drink for a period of time before undergoing an allergy test.

You need to have as much information as possible regarding the history of allergies in your family, especially if there is a food allergy. You also need to keep in mind any childhood history of this condition that you may have.

During doctor visits, carry any medical records you have. These records will assist the specialist in diagnosing your condition. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor to optimize the results of diagnosis and treatment.

Examples of questions you can ask include:

• Is there anything I can change in my environment or lifestyle to prevent these symptoms?
• What treatment can I take?
• Are there any side effects to prescribed medications?
• What tests are available to determine what caused my allergic reaction?

Based on the results of the examination, the doctor will recommend treatment in the form of allergy shots or prescription drugs. Doctors usually also suggest various lifestyle changes to reduce symptoms, especially if the type of allergy is food-related.

Allergies are the body's overreaction when exposed to foreign substances from the environment. This condition cannot be completely cured and is dangerous for some people. However, medication and emergency treatment can save a patient's life.