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Getting Relief from Allergies:
How Allergies Work
The immune system protects the body from harmful substances:
white blood cells target viruses, bacteria and other
threats, producing antibodies that destroy the invading
threat. An allergic reaction occurs when the body's immune
system overreacts to otherwise harmless substances.
The body can usually differentiate between dangerous
invaders and benign substances. An overly sensitive immune
system, however, mistakes non-threatening substances for
more harmful invaders, and attempts to destroy them. The
resulting release of histamine and other chemicals produces
allergy symptoms.
Stages of an Allergic Reaction
White blood cells, or lymphocytes, are the body's
watchdogs. Lymphocytes seek out, identify, and destroy
possible threats to the body, called antigens. In other
words, the lymphocytes are the warriors, and the antigens
are the enemy.
When a lymphocyte encounters an allergen, or allergy-causing
substance, and mistakes it for a threat, it retreats to the
lymph node, where it produces antibodies, or immunoglobulins,
called IgE. Immunoglobulin is the body’s ammunition against
the (perceived) enemy.
The body then begins to mass-produce IgE antibodies, which
attach themselves to a type of white blood cell called a
basophil. The immunogobulin also attaches to mast cells.
Both basophils and mast cells contain histamine and other
chemicals that cause allergy symptoms.
It takes time for the antibodies to build up in the body—a
process called "sensitizing exposure." After a week to ten
days, however, enough of IgE has built up that an "allergy
cascade" occurs the next time the body encounters the
antigen.
Source
An Allergy Cascade
Once the sensitizing exposure is completed, the body is
primed to react the next time it encounters the allergen. The
IgE antibodies that bound themselves to mast cells and basophils
also bind themselves to the allergen proteins. As they do so,
the antibodies set in motion a reaction designed to destroy the
allergen. The attached mast cell or basophil is also destroyed,
releasing its store of histamine.
Histamine can be released anywhere in the body, but is most
often found in the skin, respiratory system or stomach.
Different locations produce varying symptoms:
 skin:
hives and rashes
nose:
sneezing, runny nose, and
congestion
lungs:
bronchial spasms and asthma
symptoms
stomach:
nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal
upsets.
If histamine is released throughout the body, a life-threatening
condition known as anaphylaxis may occur. Find out more about
anaphylaxis and other symptoms on our
Allergic Reactions
page.
Since one of the most common cores of allergy, asthma and
sinusitis is fungal infections,
as well as polyps, reflux disease and bacteria, you
have to make sure that your home and real estate is free from
molds and mildew, which later may develop into molds, and prevent
any of their future growth.
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To eliminate molds and mildew from your home, office
or other real estate and property, follow the suggestions of the book Do It Yourself
Mold Prevention, Mold Inspection, Testing, & Remediation.
For more info, please visit: Mold
Book.
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To
visit the best internet mold website, please visit:
Mold Inspector.
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To find a
Certified Mold Inspector, Certified Mold Remediator or Certified
Mold Contractor
in your area, please visit:
Certified Mold Inspector.
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To find services of a mold lawyer or a
mold attorney,
please visit
Mold Lawyer.
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