What is an Allergy?
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to an unfamiliar element by treating it as if it’s a harmful substance when it is not. Advanced Dermatology, with offices in both New York and New Jersey, has highly experienced allergists that can help patients struggling to manage their allergies. Advanced Dermatology’s medical team, considered among the top doctors in New York and New Jersey, is proud to offer customized solutions for each individual based on their specific needs.
Causes
When the body is exposed to an allergen, the immune system is triggered and releases chemicals, such as histamine; to fight what it thinks is a “dangerous invader”. Typical causes of allergies are:
- Environmental allergens, like pollen, animal dander, dust mites and mold
- Foods, in particular peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk
- Insect bites or stings, for example from a bee or wasp
- Medications, specifically penicillin-based antibiotics
- Substances that come in contact with the skin, such as latex
Symptoms
Allergy symptoms, caused by the chemical the immune system releases to fight the allergen, can cause a wide range of symptoms. The symptoms a person can have depend on the type of allergy and the severity to which their body responds to a specific allergen. Skin problems, such as rashes or hives, are common signs of an allergic reaction. Allergy symptoms can include a runny nose for someone who is perhaps allergic to pollen or breathing difficulty for someone with a peanut allergy. In general, symptoms can affect your airways, sinuses and nasal passages, skin, and digestive system. Since symptoms can become worse it is important to seek treatment with an allergist, especially if over the counter treatments do not work to reduce symptoms.
Generally allergies cannot be cured, however there are many treatments that can alleviate bothersome symptoms. Since allergies and symptoms are specific to an individual’s immune system and medical history, it is imperative to seek professional medical help from a highly trained allergist. Advanced Dermatology offers the best in personalized patient care for people suffering from allergies. Find an excellent treatment plan to manage your allergies by scheduling an appointment with our expert medical staff.
Overview
Allergies manifest when your immune system creates antibodies that mistakenly recognize a specific allergen (substance that causes an allergy) as dangerous to the body. Therefore, when you come in contact with an allergen, your body has an inflammatory response that can affect your skin, airways, nasal passages and digestive system. Allergies can vary from slight irritations to serious conditions such as anaphylaxis, which is a possibly life-threatening situation when a person’s airway begins to close from swelling. Since allergies can evolve and change it is important to see an experienced allergist if you have allergies or they have worsened over time.
Types of Allergies
There are several types of allergies a person can experience, some of them simultaneously. The main types of allergies are: Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, food allergies, insect sting allergies, drug allergies and atopic dermatitis, which is commonly known as eczema. While a person can have more than one type of allergy, he or she can also develop different types of allergies over time.
