WHEN
ALLERGIES ATTACK
By Amanda Hutchinson
April 2006
Along the rolling surf, ethereal
eucalyptus forests, and tranquil rolling
hills of the Central Coast live millions
of unseen outlaws—silent villians
whose swift, unrelenting strikes unleash
tortuous havoc on the lives of their
unsuspecting victims.
Known simply
as "allergens," these
dangerous rogues present themselves in a multitude
of undetectable forms, allowing them
to launch their sniffly, itchy attacks
virtually unnoticed.
"An ‘allergen’ or ‘antigen’ can
be almost any substance that causes an
abnormal reaction when it enters the
body; from protein
particles in pollens to food to dust and animal dander,” says Central Coast
allergist Liza Presser Belkin of the Sansum Santa Barbara Medical Foundation
Clinic.
The Sneak Attack
Allergens enter our bodies through a variety of undetected avenues. Airborne
pollens that come from trees, grasses, weeds, dust, mold spores, pet dander,
and latex lurk in the air we breathe while others patiently wait to be ingested
with Aunt Betty’s fish-and-peanut surprise. Poison ivy, sumac, and oak
soak through the skin while their friends sneak in through injections of penicillin
or venom from insect stings.
But allergens are only dangerous when our bodies mistake them as so.
Once they enter, allergens seek out genetic flaws in our immune system that
enable them to administer their sniffly mischief. When the body detects the
presence of what it belives are enemy allergen forces, it produces an antibody
counterforce, called IgE, to fight off the insuing battle. The antibody troops
attach themselves to a form of blood cell called a mast cell (a cell that is
plentiful in the airways and in the GI tract where allergens most often enter
the body).This contact causes the mast cells to become irritated and release
chemicals (including histimine) that create most allergy symptoms.
Most allergies cause inflammation - depending on where the reaction occurs,
a physician may diagnose a particular allergic disease. Reactions in the nose,
eyes, and sinuses are known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever. A reaction in
the lungs is asthma; skin reactions include eczema, contact dermititis, or
Urticaria (hives).
Although most reactions are mild and will subside once symptoms have been treated
and the allergen is erradicated, frequent allergic rhinitis can lead to more
serious, chronic diseases such as sinusitis, ear infections, nasal polyps,
and asthma. In rare cases, severe reactions (known as anaphylaxis) can even
be life-threatening.
The Victims
So why is a springtime walk through the eucalyptus forest a magical afternoon
activity for one person while sentencing another to days of unscratchable sinus
itching? The answer lies in our genes.
Children often inherit from their parents the tendency to be allergic to “things,” although
not to any specific allergen. When one parent is allergic, a child has a 50-percent
chance of having allergies; that risk jumps to 75-percent if both parents are
allergic.
Most allergies take time to develop and don’t usually start to affect
children until after the age of three. While the peak time when allergies develop
is in the late teens (for unknown reasons, a 19-year-old’s immune system
is most adept at producing allergy responses), they can - and do - attack at
any age.
“With more than 15 million suffers in the United States - a number that
is continually growing - allergies are the most common chronic disease among
adults and children,” says Mike Tringale, Director of Communications for
the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “Yet many people don’t
know they have allergies because they ignore symptoms or brush them off as something
else.”
The Myths and Theories
Though stress and emotions may cause or worsen symptoms, allergies are not “all
in our heads,” as grandma once claimed. Yet, with no guaranteed way to
predict or prevent their onset, many interesting prevention theories exist.
Some experts feel breastfeeding a newborn for at least six months is crucial
for strengthening immunity and helping avoid respiratory infections. Others
feel introducing solid foods one at a time helps prevent and monitor allergic
reactions.
One popular theory for the ever-increasing severity of allergies - and number
of allergy suffers - is known as the Hygiene Hypothesis, which states that
regular exposure to certain bacteria (germs, house dust, pollen, and animal
dander) especially early in life leads to our bodies developing normal, non-allergic
immune systems. Thus, when the environment is too clean, we are not able to
develop healthy responses to bacteria.
While we will never technically “grow out of” an allergy, many
people think they can escape symptoms by moving where the allergens that affect
them are scarce.
“While the specific allergens in different regions may not be the same,
many of them contain the same proteins, which are what really cause allergic
reactions,” says Liza Presser Belkin. “So, no matter where you choose
to live, there will most likely be allergens present that you already have, or
may develop, a sensitivity to. Because of the climate on the Central Coast, aero
allergens found in trees, weeds, flowers, and plants pollinate earlier and grow
longer, so people with allergies to these types of proteins are more symptomatic.”
Fighting Back
The newest medical research is exploring ways to stop allergic reactions before
they start. By creating antibodies to remove IgE from circulation, and thus
dislodging them from the mast cells, scientists feel one day they can turn
off allergic reactions altogether and lessen the severity of allergic diseases
such as asthma. But, until this research is complete, the best defense is a
knowledgeable offense.
Visit a physician to find out exactly what you are allergic to with a scratch
test (applying a diluted allergen to the back or arm, and scratching the skin
with a needle to see if there is a reaction) or a blood test, and combat your
symptoms with recommended medications. Decrease sensitivity to certain substances
like dust mites with simple avoidence measures such as vaccuuming weekly, or
build up an immunity with allergy shots (immunotherapy).
Pay attention to pollen counts (usually reported for mold spores, grasses,
trees, and weeds - the pollen count is measured by the number of grains of
pollen per square meter of air collected over a 24-hour period) and time your
outdoor activities for when levels are minimal. (Grass pollinates between 6
and 10 a.m., weeds pollinate at sunrise and sundown, and there is more pollen
in the air on windy days.)
With just a little knowledge, we can fight back when allergies attack: knowledge
of what triggers we are most sensitive to, knowledge of where allergens hide,
and knowledge of how to keep our weepy, snively, sneezy, symptoms from taking
over our lives.
The
Usual Suspects
Although allergens can take on almost any form, there are several usual suspects
to keep a close eye on.
Pollens – Hailing
from plants, trees, weeds, and flowers
-– but most often plants without
flowers – seasonal, mischievious
pollens can travel in the wind for miles,
delivering itchy, watery eyes and red,
runny noses.
Dust Mites – These
stubborn, microscopic organisms call house
dust home and build their oasis in unvacuumed
corners, secretly controlling drippy noses
year-round.
Molds – The parasitic,
microscopic fungi thrive in damp places
inside and outside, sending out probe-like “spores” that
elicit sneezing and weezing.
Animal Dander and Cockroaches – These
slow, calculating proteins can take up
to two years to cause havoc, but their
effects linger for months.
Foods – The sneaky
allergen waits to be ingested, but the
attack is swift, causing swelling, hives,
vomiting, diarrhea, and even asthma within
minutes.
Insect Stings – One
of the most dangerous, these allergens
cause severe reactions, including swelling,
redness, nausea, and low-grade fever.
Latex – Rubber gloves
may be the most common source, but latex
allergens also hide out in condoms, medical
devices, and even rubber bands.
To learn more about
allergies, visit the Asthma and Allergy Foundation
of America (www.aafa.org)
or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
(www.aaaai.org).
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