ALLERGY FACTS
What is an allergy?
What conditions can be treated?
What allergens can be treated?
Food allergies
WHAT IS AN ALLERGY?
An allergy is an exaggerated response to a substance that is harmless to other people. It is a physiological error where the body reacts negatively and inappropriately to stimuli such as foods, airborne particles and substances in our environment. This can occur through contact with the skin, inhalation or ingestion of the substance.
The word "allergy" comes from the Greek allos, meaning "other". It was first used in 1906 to refer to "an altered reaction" in the body's immune system.
The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. The immune system can mistakenly read a substance such as mold, pollen, dust, pet dander or a food as harmful. The body will react by creating a specific antibody to the allergen that it perceives as a threat. The next time the individual is exposed to the allergen, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, such as histamines, in order to protect the body.
These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, the skin or the cardiovascular system. This can cause itching, swelling, coughing, sneezing, mucus production, hives, rashes, muscle spasms, digestive disorders, elimination disorders, breathing problems and other symptoms, which vary from person to person. The most extreme reaction is a condition called anaphylaxis which is a sudden, severe, potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction.
The medical classification of a "true allergy" requires an IgE - mediated response. However the immune system is very complex and IgE responses do not explain many reactions. Medicine also recognizes non IgE-immune sensitivities as well as involvement with IgA, IgG or IgG4, complement reactions and cell-to-cell reactivity. These are not actually classified as allergies but are considered "hypersensitivities." AAT treats most kinds of reactions, not matter what they are called.
The use of the word "allergy" has become a generic term used by the public to describe allergies, sensitivities and intolerances. The distinction of a true allergy based on circulating immunoglobulins is generally unknown. Therefore, the term "allergy" is now understood as a term for any negative reaction from exposure to a benign substance.
Conventional western medicine has several methods for testing allergies. Traditional allergy testing and treatments are painful and expensive. These include the "Intra-dermal test," "Patch test," Scratch test," and various blood tests such as the "RAST test" and the "ELISA test." Alternative medicine uses a variety of ways to test allergens however, there have been no consistent results from one test to another.
The standard medical treatment to control allergies is either antihistamines or steroids to control allergic symptoms. The treatment ranges from avoidance of the substance to a long term course of allergy shots. The treatments are designed to desensitize you to the allergen or to mask or reduce the symptoms with antihistamines and other drugs. Unfortunately, this does not correct the underlying problem and often the allergy sufferer experiences serious long term side effects.
