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Many of you may have heard your doctor say, “You have an allergy.” although you come to see him/her because of chronic runny nose, coughs, rash, or diarrhea. Questions may pop into your mind. What is an allergy? Why does it cause so many multiple symptoms? So today, let’s learn more about it!
What is allergy?
An allergy is the body’s reaction to allergens that cause chronic inflammation in epithelial tissues such as skin, nasal septum, conjunctiva, and respiratory or gastrointestinal mucosa. People with allergies develop symptoms according to affected organs. For example, irritated skin can lead to atopic dermatitis with itchiness on the face, crook of arms and legs, or torso. The affected nasal septum causes allergic rhinitis with a chronic runny nose, sneezing, and nasal itchiness or congestion. The triggered conjunctiva results in allergic conjunctivitis with itchiness, chronic eye irritation, burning, and watery eyes. The attacked respiratory lining can cause asthma; patients will develop coughs, difficulty breathing, chest congestion, or wheezing. The affected gastrointestinal mucosa can lead to food allergy; patients have chronic diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, chronic rashes, and anemia.
Nowadays, allergies have become more common. Cow’s milk allergy or dermatitis can start at a younger age, while allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, asthma, or shell food allergy may develop in school-aged children and adults. Allergic rhinitis is the most common allergy. The prevalence of this type of allergy is 50% in Thai children, whereas asthma and dermatitis are around 15%.
What types of allergens are there?
There are two types of allergens
- Aeroallergens: such as dust mites, American cockroaches, dog dander, cat dander, grass pollen, and Cladosporium.
- Food allergens: such as cow’s milk, soybean, egg, seafood, and wheat.
Dust mites are common indoor allergens, frequently found in mattresses, bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, or carpets. They thrive in the temperature and damp environment of a bedroom.
Why do we develop asthma?
The cause of asthma is not yet known, but some factors trigger the condition, including:
- Genetic factor. Children with either an asthmatic mother or father have a 20-40 % risk of developing asthma. If both parents have asthma, the risk increases to 50-80%. Around 15% of asthmatic children are with parents with no historical record of the condition.
- Environmental factor. Changing city lifestyle: City relocation and clustering, living in a house with poor or no ventilation, and whole house carpet flooring.
- Air pollution: Car exhaust and industrial pollution.
- Cigarette: Cigarette smoke contains multiple toxins, including carcinogens and respiratory irritants. Children with smoking parents, especially mothers, have a two-fold higher risk of asthma.
- Dietary Factors
- Breastfeeding: Exclusively breastfed children have lower odds of developing asthma and other allergies than formula-fed children.
- Food: Consuming processed foods such as frozen food or food with coloring, scent, and flavor additives; eating more carbohydrates and fats than fruits and vegetables.
