It looks like a nice day. The sun's out, and a nice gentle breeze is blowing. You thought to yourself, "what a great day for a walk". You're outside taking a good and healthy walk, without a care in the world. Suddenly, there's a tingle in your throat and you need to cough. Then, for no apparent reason, your eyes become puffy and start to water. What is happening to you? Did you just get stung by a bee or was it something you ate making you sick.

Maybe if you keep walking, the symptoms will go away, or maybe this is your first time coming face to face with your allergy. What is an allergy? An allergy is the process by which the immune system overreacts to a substance known as an allergen. Allergens can enter the body in different ways. They can be inhaled through the nose and lungs. This happens when the allergen is airborne, such as the pollen from trees, and dander from cats and dogs. Allergens can also be ingested through the mouth, this occurs with food allergies. Allergies can also occur if you take medication, and develop an allergic reaction to it. Your skin can also absorb allergens, usually from plants like, oak and poison ivy.

Some of the most common allergic diseases are rhinitis, which includes hayfever, and is brought about when the nasal passage gets stuffed up. Food allergies are mostly seen in young kids, and some of their symptoms are nausea, diarrhoea and the lips or tongue swelling. Urticaria is a skin allergy, but the more common name for this is hives. Atopic dermatitis is a skin allergy with symptoms usually characterized by, flaking and scaling; this allergy is sometimes called eczema. What has to be one of the most severe diseases is anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is an allergic reaction to a food or drug. The symptoms of anaphylaxis are life threatening, and they include, tightness of the chest, a tingling of the palms and light headedness. These symptoms can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, shock and seizures.

There are many products advertised as being able to help treat your allergies. The most common of these are decongestants and antihistamines. Antihistamines can be used to stop sneezing, itching and runny noses as well as rashes and hives. Decongestants can help relieve stuffy noses.

Maybe like a lot of people, you don't want to take medicine. So, what are your options? Well, the best way to not catch something, is to stay away from it. If you want to help prevent allergies, then you're going to have to clean-up, literally. You need to dust your house and wash your bed sheets regularly, to help limit the dust mites in your home. You need to wear a mask when vacuuming, since the process of vacuuming will cause dust to rise. The home should be the least of your worries; trying to have a allergy free workplace may prove impossible. With so many people having so many different tastes in clothes and perfumes; the workplace could very well be the hive in which many allergies begin.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Allergies