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Dear Devon:
Dust, cats, peanuts and egg whites may be perfectly harmless to some people. But if you're an
allergy sufferer, they might as well be an invading army declaring war on your health. That's
because these common substances (also known as allergens) get mistakenly treated as dangerous
substances by your immune system.
Normally, the immune system works wonders for your body by fighting off harmful bacteria,
yeasts and viruses, but it becomes overprotective and overreacts when you have allergies. Here's a
blow-by-blow account on what causes those allergic reactions: When your immune system detects an
allergen, it sends out protective antibodies, which circulate in your blood until they locate the
substance. They often meet where the allergen first enters the body, like at your skin cells or the
lining of your nose, lungs or stomach. When an antibody and allergen finally collide, an explosive
reaction takes place and causes your cells to rupture inside. This reaction releases a powerful
chemical called a histamine, along with several other irritating substances that inflame and damage
nearby cells. And this, in turn, leads to annoying itching, sneezing, diarrhea and other
not-so-pleasant allergic reactions.
Pollen, dust mites, animal hair and certain kinds of foods are among the biggest
allergy-causing culprits. What's most irritating of all, though, is the fact that there's no known
cure for allergies; no one really knows why the immune system just goes haywire at times. But you
can always relieve symptoms by taking medications called antihistamines or avoid allergens in the
first place.
Signed,
Wendell
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