The Most Common Allergies: Types

Food allergies

True food allergies are likely to appear in kids rather than adults; according to the statistics, they happen in 8% of children, and just 2% of adults. Most food allergies occur due to the presence of proteins in a few kinds of products – mainly eggs, soy, fish, cow’s milk, nuts and wheat. From these foods, peanuts are given the most attention these days, as they produce the most food allergy symptoms.
This kind of allergies is usually inherited; moreover, a child with a food allergy is likely to go on to develop atopic dermatitis. Most kids will probably grow out of their food allergies (85%) if they are allergic to eggs, soy, milk or wheat; however, foods such as peanuts, seafood and tree nuts usually cause long-term dependency that stays for years. Reactions to certain kinds of foods include skin allergy, when the person affected experiences rash and swellings.

Insect Allergies

The insects most well-known for their allergenic influence are wasps, hornets, bumblebees, honeybees and fire ants. Wasps and fire ants are accountable for most allergic reaction connected with insects across the US territory. The problem has the trend of worsening with each year, as the climate changes contribute to warmer conditions.

The insects of the female sex carry venom that can be released through their stingers when necessary. The stings of the insects pertaining to the Vespidae family (hornets and wasps) are retractable, which means they do not die after stinging their enemies. This is different for bees, as their barbed stings are detached, often remaining in the body of the victim.

Hay Fever

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is characterized by an allergic reaction of the immune system to pollen. Dust allergy displays similar reaction; other allergens include animals, mold and other substances you may inhale.
Hay fever is caused by very small particles of pollen in the air; big pieces usually have no effect. There are some plants known for causing hay fever: grasses, trees and ragweed.

The probability of an individual developing hay fever depends on the weather. If it’s cool and dry, the amount of pollen increases dramatically, while during rainy days it’s washed down to the ground.

Such diseases as asthma and eczema can also be related to common allergies types.

Drug Allergies

You should be aware of the possible collateral effects when using any drug. Even though some reactions are stated very clearly in the instructions, allergic response is quite tough to predict, which is another reason for you to be careful. Very rarely allergic response can cause serious consequences (lethal outcome, for instance), but multiple unpleasant symptoms, including swellings, trouble breathing, itching, rash and hives are likely to make life difficult for you.

Based on the experience of many patients, certain commonly used medications have been recognized more allergenic than others. These include anti-inflammatory drugs, penicillin, antibiotics in general and, of course, aspirin. Anti-inflammatory drugs along with penicillin cause body reactions similar to allergic response; however, they do so without the involvement of IgE. Drugs as vancomycin, intravenous x-ray dyes, paclitaxel, morphine and ACE inhibitors cause symptoms similar to the usual allergic reaction.

Vaccine Allergies

Adverse response of your body caused by a vaccine is not one of the most common allergies, but it can lead to lethal anaphylaxis, which makes it a serious matter to consider. The probability of a patient developing an allergic reaction to a vaccine is very low (one in a million), so before you make up your mind about vaccinating your family members or yourself consider the dangers of not doing so. Besides the fact that your kid will probably be required by school rules to go through some vaccinations, you can also protect him or her from potentially acquiring mumps or measles, which have been reported to cause death.

So, what could potentially become a trigger in the vaccine you or your children get? There are two main ingredients that are believed to be the most probable allergens: egg protein (included into flu vaccine and yellow fever vaccine), and gelatin (rubella, mumps, measles, Japanese encephalitis and varicella vaccines). Until recently thimerosal was used, causing allergic reactions in many patients, but this preservative has been excluded from the vaccines licensed in the United States.
 
Latex Allergies

This kind of allergic reaction is triggered by your immune system rejecting either chemicals used in the process of latex manufacturing, or the protein in natural latex rubber. It’s common for people with latex allergies to have adverse reactions to certain fruits (bananas, avocados, kiwis) and nuts (chestnuts, peanuts).

The most common latex allergy reaction is rash and itching after being in direct contact with natural latex rubber or chemicals used in its production. The products responsible for causing allergy symptoms may be condoms, special rubber gloves, or balloons. Sometimes latex products can be covered with powder or contain powder that is potentially allergenic when inhaled. Latex allergies are spreading as this material is used more and more often in health care and the production of surgical armaments.

Related Articles