Allergies are disorders of the immune system, which when a foreign substance that is normally harmless in most people causes an extreme reaction within the body. Contact can be with the skin, lungs, oesophagus, mouth, stomach and intestine and can cause a reaction to those organs plus the musculo-skeletal, genoto-urinary system, bowel, cardio-vascular, nose, eyes and brain. The substances that cause these reactions are called allergens and the person who suffers from this, is said to be allergic to the substance.

When an allergen comes into contact with the body, the immune system believes it is under attack and produces antibodies called IgE to fight it. The antibodies trigger chemicals (the main one being histamine) to different organs of our body from mast cells which causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

The most common allergies are to dust mites, pollen, animal dander in household pets, insect bites, food and drink - the most common being milk, wheat, eggs, fish, soy, citrus fruits, seafood and peanuts, washing powder, cosmetics, toiletries, jewellery, mould and mould fungus, latex and rubber and certain drugs such as antibiotics and anesthetics.

Every individual has their own target organ that has more of an allergic reaction than the others organs. Whatever the substance that causes the reaction, the symptoms occurs in the weak target organs whether this is the same point of contact or not. The symptoms as a result from the allergic reaction will be dependant on the function of the afflicted organ and whether it is depressed or excited.

The main organs that are affected are the brain, eyes, ears, nose, lungs, heart, skin, bowel, genoto-urinary system and musculo-skeletal system.

The brain is the most sensitive of the body