Managing Allergies
Explore the various ways that you can manage your allergies and how they work.
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Overview
Allergies occur when the immune system reacts to otherwise harmless substances such as pollen, food, pets, and more. The symptoms of allergies can be wide ranging, meaning the best way to manage allergies can differ from person to person. It is important to talk to a doctor about the best way to manage your personal allergies. Below are some common treatments that interact with the immune system to manage allergy symptoms.
Key Points
- A doctor can help you determine the best way to manage your allergies.
- Antihistamines are a common medication to alleviate allergy symptoms that block a chemical released by the immune system.
- Allergy shots retrain the immune system to respond to allergens in a way that does not cause symptoms
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are a common medication to alleviate allergy symptoms. Histamine is a chemical released by your immune system that sends messages between cells. When your immune system is exposed to an allergen, like pollen, it sets off a series of signals that results in histamine being released and causing allergy symptoms. Antihistamines blocks histamine’s ability to send its signals and induce symptoms. Talk to a doctor to find out if antihistamines are right for you.
Allergy Shots
If you have allergies of any type allergies, an allergist may recommend allergy shots. Allergy shots contain very small amounts of the allergens that you are allergic to. A patient getting allergy shots goes into their doctor and receives shots over the course of months to years. The goal is to retrain the immune system to respond to the allergens in the shots in a way that does not cause symptoms. If interested, talk to a doctor about whether you could benefit from allergy shots.
Severe Allergies
In some cases, allergies can cause serious complications such as anaphylaxis or allergic asthma. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs quickly after exposure and can lead to hives, nausea, difficulty breathing, or shock. Allergic asthma may cause asthma attacks where your airways tighten, and it becomes difficult to breathe. Management of severe allergies can include avoiding the things you are allergic to, epinephrine or epi-pens, or inhalers. If you or your child suffers from severe allergies, talk to a doctor or visit a health clinic about treatment options.
Sources
- Jain, A., Marshall, J., Buikema, A., Bancroft, T., Kelly, J. P., & Newschaffer, C. J. (2015). Autism Occurrence by MMR Vaccine Status Among US Children With Older Siblings With and Without Autism. JAMA, 313(15), 1534. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.3077
- Taylor, B., Miller, E., Farrington, Cp., Petropoulos, M.-C., Favot-Mayaud, I., Li, J., & Waight, P. A. (1999). Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: no epidemiological evidence for a causal association. The Lancet, 353(9169), 2026–2029. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(99)01239-8
- Madsen, K. M., Hviid, A., Vestergaard, M., Schendel, D., Wohlfahrt, J., Thorsen, P., Olsen, J., & Melbye, M. (2002). A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(19), 1477–1482. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa021134
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