When someone has an allergy, it means their immune system overreacts to something – called an allergen – that doesn’t cause a problem for most other people.
This overreaction leads to inflammation that triggers a range of allergic conditions, which affect different parts of the body. For example, allergic conditions like eczema and hives affect the skin, asthma affects the lungs and hay fever affects the nose and eyes. The most severe allergic condition is called anaphylaxis, which can affect the whole body.
Around 20 per cent of Australians have some type of allergy, with common allergens found in dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, moulds, foods.
Allergies can result in a wide range of symptoms depending on the allergy and how the allergic person’s immune system reacts. Common allergy symptoms include:
There are many different allergens, but the most common ones are:
The most common forms of contact with allergens are:
The answer to this isn’t completely understood, but it’s thought that the immune system’s tendency to overreact to a substance that other people find harmless is likely to have a genetic component.
Allergy tests, including blood tests and skin prick tests, can be used to help identify or confirm which allergens are causing an allergic reaction. They can be particularly useful for people who have asthma or hay fever, or where the suspected allergen is an insect, food or drug.
For food allergies, elimination diets and food allergen challenges can also be used to confirm or exclude a food allergy, but these should only be undertaken under medical supervision.If your hay fever or sinusitis occurs at the same time of year, every year, it’s likely that you’re allergic to pollen or other plant matter that is present in the air during that season.
Once the cause of an allergy has been identified, avoiding or simply minimising exposure to the allergen can help to reduce symptoms. Over-the-counter and prescription treatments may help manage or reduce allergy symptoms. It is best to consult a health professional to determine what is best for your health concerns.
If you have any concerns with your health or think you have an allergy, speak to your health professional who may refer you to a dietitian, a dermatologist or a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.