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Allergies are like will'o' wisps. You
cannot see them come and you cannot see them go. Yet, while they are there
they make you very much aware of their existence. They are very difficult to
detect. They can come from anywhere, anytime. The allergen or the cause can
be a mundane thing like dust, smoke or pollen, or a specific thing like a
particular medicine, perfume or even a cosmetic.
We become allergic when our immune systems
reacts in an abnormal way to something, which other people seemingly can
tolerate fairly well. In an effort to defend the body from substance is
considers bad, the immune system produces antibodies to fight the particular
allergen. This causes a knock on reaction as the antibodies effect the cells
and make them release histamine. It may surprise you to know that it is
actually this histamine that causes all the symptoms associated with an
allergic reaction such as itchiness or soreness on the skin, nose, throat
and eyes and also in the lungs and intestines. Every time you come across
the the same allergen it will start this process over again
Another strange thing about allergies is
that they are never predictable. They might disappear for no apparent reason
and reappear when one least expects them to. One may be allergic to pollen
for years on end and then suddenly find that it does not affect one at all.
This does not mean that one has got rid of it. On the contrary, it is likely
to attack silently and suddenly.
Being allergic may also be hereditary.
Though you may not develop the same allergy as your parents but your immune
system may have a predisposition to get them. A majority of allergies vanish
when a person reaches adulthood.
There are many things available things
available to alleviate allergies. There are those medicines prescribed by
the doctor and some medicines that you can buy direct from the drugstore.
Some measures could be taken to avoid
allergies. The most obvious one is to avoid the allergen. Children would not
find it very amusing if they have to part with their pet only because
someone in their family is allergic to it. The idea of bolting of all
windows to avoid pollen is also not very practical. We do have to go out to
earn and summer heat does require that windows be kept open for fresh air. |
