Introduction to Allergies

Up to 50 million Americans, including 2 million children, have some type of allergy. For most people, allergies are just an inconvenience. But according to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, they are a major cause of disability in the U.S. In fact, it has been estimated that allergies account for the loss of over two million school days per year. What Are Allergies? An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system toward a substance that is typically harmless to most people. But in someone with an allergy, the body's immune system treats the substance, called an allergen, as an invader and reacts inappropriately resulting in harm to the person. Who Gets Allergies? Children inherit allergic tendencies from their parents. A few children have allergies in spite of no family member having these, but if one parent has allergies, there is a one in four chance that a child will also have allergies. The risk increases if both parents have allergies. Do I Have an Allergy to Something? Some allergies are fairly easy to identify because the pattern of symptoms following certain exposures can be hard to miss. But other allergies are less obvious because they can masquerade as other conditions. Symptoms vary depending on the type of allergies, while contact allergies may usually result in a rash, inhalant allergies can lead to an inflamed esophagaus. It is best to consult a physician. How Are Allergies Treated? There is no cure for allergies, but symptomatic relief is possible. The most effective is by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. If reducing exposure is not feasible or is ineffective, medications may be prescribed. In some cases, an allergist may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to help desensitize you. There are also medications you might be able to give yourself, including antihistamines and inhaled or nasal spray steroids. One medical suggestion is: ZYRTEC® Just 1 dose of ZYRTEC® (cetirizine HCl) a day can keep allergy symptoms under control, year-round. Symptoms from both indoor allergies, like pet dander and dust. And outdoor allergies, like trees and ragweed. Plus, ZYRTEC is approved to treat indoor allergies in infants 6 months and up. Some common allergens include: -Grasses -Mold Spores -Marsh Elder -Ash -Pigweed -Oak -Fall Elm -Mesquito -Elm -Sage -Red Berry Juniper -Pecan -Mountain Cedar -Ragweed -Willow -Privet -Cats -Dogs -Bees -Peanuts -Dust Mites -Food Jack Smith writes about various Allergy treatment, air purifier and allergy relief topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intacked, the bio remains in full and the rel="nofollow" tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you Please Visit this allergy blog for more great allergy and air purifier articles.