There are many different manifestations of allergies. Depending on how the allergens enter the body, the following types of allergy are distinguished.
Types of allergy
- Inhalant allergy (via inhalation, e.g., pollen, feces of dust mites, molds, chemical substances, e.g., in flooring, particulate matter, protein in animal hair or feathers; medications or essential oils used for inhalation)
- Ingestion allergy (via the mouth and gastrointestinal tract; usually as a food allergy, e.g., due to animal proteins in eggs or milk; soy, nuts, citrus fruits, spices; very rarely as a drug allergy due to drugs such as penicillin),
- Contact allergens (via the skin, e.g., animal dander, metals such as nickel, latex): usually occurs as an acute skin change within 12-48 hours at the site of contact
- Injection allergens (by injection, e.g. insect venoms from wasps or bees, contrast or anesthetic agents).
- Tree and grass pollen fly mainly from February to May and April to September, respectively.
- Molds require about 80% humidity and a temperature around 20 °C. They are most active in spring and autumn, when rooms are heated and the weather is humid.
- Mites feel most comfortable when the humidity is 70-75% and the temperature in the range of 20-25 °C. Especially at night, patients suffer from allergic symptoms.
- Many allergens are also hidden in food, as milk and chicken egg whites are often processed in it. Diets in which certain foods are deliberately excluded, show the way here.
How bad is an allergy?
Depending on how strong the immune system‘s response to the allergen is, symptoms range from bothersome to life-threatening. An allergic reaction can be particularly dangerous if the bronchial tubes or circulatory system react violently. The constriction of the bronchial tubes leads to the attack-like shortness of breath typical of asthma. The circulation can collapse within a short time during an allergic reaction. This is then referred to as – life-threatening – allergic or anaphylactic shock.
The allergic reactions can take place at all boundaries and surfaces of the body and cause acute and chronic inflammations there. Thus, the range of possible allergic reactions is wide and non-specific. It ranges – regardless of the type of allergen – from skin reactions, gastrointestinal complaints and respiratory distress to allergic shock. This is why finding the triggers is often so difficult.
How is allergy treated?
- The number and origin of allergy-triggering substances are almost unmanageable. Today, about 20,000 substances are known that can trigger an allergy. Medical diagnosis is correspondingly difficult. If you suspect an allergy, you should always talk to your doctor.
It is important to treat the allergy specifically, because allergies can lead to chronic diseases.
Which substance triggers the allergy, can be clarified in many cases by an allergy test. - First and most important step: avoid contact with the allergy-causing substance.
- Often, a so-called hyposensitization is also possible. In this method, the patient is administered an increasingly higher dose of the allergen until the body tolerates the substance.
- As an allergy sufferer, always carry an allergy passport with you so that you can be sure in emergency situations.
- Fast-acting anti-allergic drugs help in acute cases.
- Calcium tablets help prevent allergies and reduce the allergic reaction.
- There are also proven medications to prevent hay fever.
