Understanding Allergies

How Your Body Reacts:

If you are used to sneezing, coughing, feeling congested and having watery eyes, than you are probably also familiar with allergies and allergic reactions to certain substances.  Beginning to fight off these specific symptoms, and understanding how to overcome the problems that can occur begins with defining what allergies are and how they begin to work within the body. 

Defining an Allergy

Allergies begin with the immune system and how the immune system reacts to specific things that are in the environment.  If your system is sensitive to a certain substance, it will cause your body to react in a specific way.  This is done by the immune system becoming inflamed in order to try to protect your body, and causing a reaction as a result. 

There are four known types of allergies that occur as a reaction to sensitivity.  These are in types of hypersensitivity reactions, ranging from type 1 to 4.  Within each of these types will be levels of allergies that form from the inflammation in the immune system.  For instance, a type 1 reaction will include an immediate response to the environment, but will usually only include mild symptoms, such as itchiness or a sneezing.  The type 4; however, will include more serious symptoms, such as slower reactions that will last for a longer time frame. 

Knowing If You Have Allergies

When allergies are formed from the immune system, you will be able to tell by the symptoms that occur, as well as when they occur.  Allergies will typically cause reactions in specific body parts, including the nose, eyes, airways, ears, lungs, skin and sinus area.  This will be dependent on the type of allergy that it is, as well as what you are reacting to when the allergy begins to occur.  If the allergy is more severe, it will move into other parts of the body, such as the digestive or respiratory system. 

You can determine if you are having an allergic reaction by paying attention to the specific environment you are around and what your body is responding to.  For instance, if you want to see if you have a food allergy, you can eat a certain food, such as milk.  If you have a reaction to it, such as itchiness, than you can cut out the milk.  If the itching stops, than you are most likely allergic to the milk.  You can also receive tests from a physician, through both skin and blood tests.  The tests will have the specific substances placed on them, showing if there is a reaction or not and letting you know if you are allergic to that specific substance. 

Among the different tests and ways to formulate whether you have allergies or not, are also specific ways to determine which types of allergies they are.  The two general areas for allergies are with indoor or outdoor environments.  You can also place food allergies in this category.  These are then further divided into plants, animals, dust, mold and miscellaneous substances, such as jewelry.  Once you are able to evaluate where the substance is coming from, you can then determine if your immune system is reacting in this way. 

If you are facing discomfort with sinuses, sneezing, itching, a runny nose or even hives, it could be a potential problem with allergies.  Through the immune system functions is a sensitivity to specific things that cause your body to react in a certain way.  Understanding how this is caused and what to look for is your first step towards combating the effects of the environment.