Whether you’re
allergic to pollen, dust, bee stings, or cats, your allergy symptoms
are mostly caused by one chemical inside your body: histamine. Histamine
is released by your body’s cells as a defensive response against
the outside influence which has triggered your allergy. Cells releasing
histamine are called mast cells, which are plentiful in your airways
and in your digestive tract. This should come as no surprise to
those who have experienced allergy
symptoms like nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, and stomach
pain. The question is, then, what is the cause of allergy symptoms?
“Triggers”
are another name for what causes allergy symptoms. Your allergy
cause, or trigger, may be found in food, the environment, or your
home. Substances that cause your allergy may enter your body by
inhaling it through your nose or ingesting it by mouth. You also
may absorb allergens through the skin, or an allergen may be injected
into your body by an insect. Here is a list of the most common allergy
triggers, one or more of which may be what causes your allergy symptoms:
Once you discover
what allergens cause your allergy symptoms, you can take steps to
avoid the trigger. Sometimes, trying to figure out what causes an
allergy is a long process of trial and error. In addition, a substance
that gave you no problems one day can cause an allergic reaction
in you the next day. Unfortunately, once an allergic reaction begins
in your body, it’s likely that you will continue to react
to what causes your allergy for the rest of your life.
