Allergy
Basics: What Are Allergies?
Allergies are an
unusual illness because they are not caused by bacteria, viruses,
or other classic bugs you may be familiar with. On the contrary,
allergies are caused by your own body reacting to something harmless
as if it were an enemy. This being the case, allergy basics begin
in your immune system. Normally, your immune system is responsible
for protecting your body against foreign invaders that would cause
your body harm, such as bacteria and viruses. If you have an allergy,
your immune system will fight against innocuous substances in the
environment, such as a ragweed allergy
or pet dander.
While these allergy
basics regarding your immune system may sound complex, allergies
are a very common problem affecting about 50 million people in the
United States. Delving further into allergy basics shows us exactly
what is happening to cause allergy symptoms like sneezing and congestion.
Here is a step-by-step process of basic allergy reactions:
(1) First, you
are exposed to the allergen, also known as the “trigger”
of your allergy symptoms.
(2) In response,
your immune system makes antibodies called IgE to capture the allergen.
(3) The IgE antibodies
seek out and attach to mast cells in your body. Mast cells, which
are a type of blood cell, are located in your airways and in your
digestive tract.
(4) Next, the allergens
bind to the IgE antibodies which are attached to your mast cells.
This causes your mast cells to explode and release many chemicals
into your body. One of the main substances released is histamine.
Histamine is mostly responsible for the basic allergy symptoms you
experience.
Thankfully, not
everyone has allergies, and it’s not fully understood why
some people have allergic reactions while others don’t. By
studying allergy basics throughout the entire population, it has
been found that allergies seem to be inherited. If you have one
parent with allergies, you have a 50 percent chance of having them,
too. When both parents have allergies, your chance of having them
increases to 75 percent.
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