Spring Allergy Guide
While springtime heralds flowers and warmth, for many it means the start of seasonal allergies, as an explosion of plant pollen in the air make us itch, sneeze and wheeze. Although seasonal allergies plague many adults and kids alike, they’re not the only kind to cause annoying symptoms. And some allergic reactions, such as to peanuts, can even be life-threatening. Luckily, experts are shedding more light on allergies, leading to a better understanding of what irks our immune systems, as well as how to prevent and treat various reactions. Here’s what you need to know.
Q: How do you get allergies?
A: An allergy happens when the body overreacts to an otherwise innocuous substance in our surroundings, whether it’s pollen, peanuts, pet dander or something else. Some people have hypersensitive immune systems that develop antibodies in response to ordinary exposure to various substances. “Allergy development goes through four stages,” explains Dr. Wade Watson, professor of pediatrics at Dalhousie University and head of the division of allergy at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. First, a person is exposed by eating, touching or inhaling the allergenic substance, sensitizing the body, which produces immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that sit on mast (allergic) cells in various parts of the body, ready to attack during the next exposure. When that happens, the body releases a chemical called histamine, which cause the allergic responses.
Q: What are the main types of allergies?
A: You can be allergic to something by touch (contact dermatitis), by inhaling it (airborne) or by ingesting it (food). You can be allergic to any number of things in your environment, some of which can cause symptoms that are simply irritating, such as sneezing, while others can be life-threatening, causing reactions strong enough to make your airways swell or your heart fail. “The only true difference among allergies is what parts of the body they affect and how severely our immune system responds,” says Ottawa-based Dr. Zave Chad, chair of the Canadian Pediatric Society’s
allergy section.
Q: what kinds of allergic reactions can you have?
A: That depends on the type of allergy and what part of the body is affected, explains Watson. Airborne allergens such as pollen or cat dander affect the nose, eyes and lungs. Food allergens, however, can affect the skin, mouth, respiratory system, GI tract and more. That’s because food allergens get into the bloodstream, so a full-body reaction is possible. Contact allergies (to things like nickel from costume jewelry) affect skin, causing eczema or hives occur.
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