My health life

6.25.2009

What is an allergy and how it arises

In the case of an allergy the immune system reacts inappropriately to more vigorously harmless substances such as pollen, animal hair or food. Why the immune system overreacted so, it is still not fully understood.

To deal with unwanted and potentially dangerous invaders such as viruses or bacteria to be done, the body has several defense strategies. One of them is the invaders (antigens) with antibodies to capture and then render.

What are antibodies?

Antibodies are proteins the body in the blood, the body exactly to the respective antigen votes. In the case of an allergic reaction is called the antigen and allergen. During the first contact happens to the production of antibodies still nothing. Attackers and defenders (the immune system) must first learn, so to speak.

The second contact, however, a violent defense roll shaft. The antibodies not only circulate in the blood, they migrate into the tissue. In the lymphatic system, in the nose and mouth into the airways and in the gut take on another kind of immune cells, the mast cells.

They contain numerous granules, in which mediators such as histamine are stored. On their surface, they contribute to antibody binding sites (receptors). On a single mast for up to 100,000 square antibodies. An antibody is like a Ypsilon. He has one leg and two arms. The leg binds to a mast, the arms start invaders (antigens) and hold it firmly. If two antibodies one and the same intruder caught, so that he as a bridge between the two depends antibodies (see figure), the mast cells in the stored grain of neurotransmitters released.

These messengers are quite aggressive. Move them from the mast cells in the surrounding tissue, they cause little inflammation there. Moreover, expanding the blood vessels. Depending on where this process is just playing, there will be a variety of complaints: itching, Niesreiz, runny nose, burning, watery eyes, skin reactions etc.

Allergic shock

Particularly dangerous and can have an allergic reaction, if the bronchial circulation or react violently. The narrowing of the bronchi leading to the typical costs of asthma are shortness of breath. The cycle may be an allergic reaction within a short time collapse. One then speaks of a life-allergic shock.

Depending on how strong the response of the immune system to the allergen is, the complaints range from annoying to life-threatening.

The "culprit"

Pollen

Pollen, the male genome of the plant, go with the wind or insects from one plant to another. For allergies are primarily responsible for the pollen to the wind to travel. The plants use large quantities of them free. An individual may Roggenähre about four million pollen grains on the journey to send. Are the wind conditions favorable to spread the pollen up to 400 kilometers wide.

Especially frequent allergic triggers are birch, alder, hazel and grass pollen. Was the mild winter, the pollen flying from January. Several pollen types have their characteristic flight season. Among the early include shrubs and trees such as hazel and alder. Grasses and cereals usually bloom May to July, herbs like mugwort, nettle and plantain May to August. When exactly the plants bloom, of course, depends on the weather of each year.

Medicines

Based on a single medicine allergic reactions are relatively rare. For most drugs must be just one of 10,000 to a maximum of 100 users reckon. For some drugs the risk is slightly higher than for others. These include medications, the foreign protein, such as vaccines and enzymes. In addition, in comparison to other drugs including antibiotics or rheumatism funds frequently trigger allergies. The allergic reaction may not necessarily directly on the drug due. The excipients for the production are also required for this question.

Dust mites

The microscopic arachnids (0.1 to 0.5 mm in size) like it moist and warm. At best it is therefore necessary to May to October. During this time they are diligent proliferate. They feed on skin flakes, mold and abrasion of down feathers. Therefore they prefer to live in beds (bedding, mattresses), where they find abundant food.

The range of possible allergic reactions are great. They range from skin reactions and shortness of breath to allergic shock. Allergy allergy should have a passport, and this principle to the doctor and the pharmacy with you.

from : kireading_health

1 comment:

Alex Neil said...

Allergies are exaggerated immune responses to environmental triggers known as allergens. Allergies are very common, and about 50 million people in North America suffer from allergies.