An allergic reaction begins after the allergen enters the body and is accompanied by the production of immunoglobulins E. This disease cannot be cured, you can only interrupt the course by interrupting the interaction with the allergen. The consequences of this disease can be both mild and fatal. An allergic reaction can be difficult to diagnose because it presents with many different symptoms.
Common causes of allergies
The incidence does not depend on sex and age, but is often determined by genetic predisposition. To date, the increase in the number of allergy sufferers has increased as a result of the abuse of chemically created products, as well as hygiene procedures. The body relaxes, losing the necessary load, and acquires a special sensitivity even to what it had not previously had. Factors such as lack of sleep, movement, unhe althy diet and excess stress can also contribute to allergies. Sensitive immune systemAn allergy sufferer is susceptible to many climatic conditions: excessive heat, cold, dry air.
Symptoms
Allergy symptoms can appear both instantly and with the accumulation of a large concentration of the allergen. The most common allergy symptoms include:
- skin rash;
- sneeze;
- tearing and eye pain, seasonal inflammation;
- edema;
- runny nose.
The group of rare and most dangerous symptoms includes fainting, Quincke's edema (accompanied by suffocation and swelling of the face, requires emergency medical care), loss of the ability to navigate in space.
Classification of allergic reactions
The most popular theory comes from Jale and Coombs and is based on differences in reaction mechanisms. According to the rate of flow, reactions of immediate and delayed type are distinguished. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DHT) includes 3 subtypes.
- Anaphylactic (atopic), these include diseases such as atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma and rhinitis, Quincke's edema. They appear within a few minutes. Substances such as immunoglobulins E and basophils are involved in the reaction, and amines are released. The sensitivity of the immune system occurs as a result of the formation of immunoglobulins in large quantities and manifests itself most often in the form of food allergies. Food allergies most often occur in young children, whichmay be due to a lack of mother's milk. A child who has not received enough mother's milk is more likely than others to suffer from inflammatory reactions even at an older age. This can be explained by the fact that milk contains bifidogenic factors and bifidobacteria necessary to suppress allergies.
- Cytotoxic (example - thrombocytopenia - reduction of platelets, slowing blood flow in the vessels). It develops when immunoglobulins M and G interact with antigen on the surface of cells and leads to the destruction of he althy cells. This type is most often allergic to drugs.
- Reactions of immunity complexes (for example, the Arthus phenomenon, a reaction to the repeated introduction of a substance into the blood). Occur on the basis of the formation of an excessive amount of antibodies M and G.
The 4th type is a delayed-type allergic reaction, which is associated with acute sensitivity of lymphocytes. It appears 1-2 days after contact with the allergen. An example of HRT is the formation of granulomas (inflammatory nodules) against the background of infection with tuberculosis or typhoid. This type of reaction is facilitated by the presence of T-lymphocytes and their separation. An allergic reaction occurs under the influence of lymphokines generated by lymphocytes.
Mechanisms of Allergy
Mechanisms and stages of development of allergic reactions due to increased sensitization, that is, heightened susceptibility to substances of various origins. Sometimes in a broader sense, this term refers to the allergy itself,but most often, sensitization should be understood as the primary stage of the disease. In other words, the hypersensitivity of the organism is formed at the first stage, and only then, with the subsequent ingestion or accumulation of the allergenic component, an allergy begins to appear. A person with hypersensitivity to a certain substance can be absolutely he althy until the moment of repeated contact with the allergen.
With active sensitization, the allergen enters the body directly, while with passive sensitization, blood or lymph cells are experimentally transfused from the body with heightened sensitivity.
Stages of development of allergic reactions
As a result of the body's contact with the allergen, several consecutive stages of allergy develop.
- Immunological stage of allergic reactions. During this stage, the formation of antibodies or lymphocytes occurs. In addition, at the immune stage of an allergic reaction, the body comes into contact with the allergenic component. This stage continues until the body becomes sensitized.
- The pathochemical stage of allergic reactions includes the production of histamine and other substances with high biochemical activity. As a result, tissue, internal and external organs are injured.
- The pathophysiological stage of allergic reactions is the further course of the allergy and the onset of symptoms. At this stage, there is a violation of metabolism, as well as a malfunction of the digestive, respiratory, endocrine and other systems.
It should be clarified that the stages of a delayed-type allergic reaction are identical to the stages of an immediate allergy.
Diagnosis: Allergy skin tests
To date, science has not yet invented a cure for allergies. The only way to get rid of an allergic reaction is to interrupt any way the body interacts with the allergen. There are various tests to calculate allergenic components.
All types of analyzes are divided into 2 groups:
- those that involve contact of the body with the allergen under medical supervision;
- tests related to the study of the patient's blood.
The first method is considered obsolete and can lead to disastrous consequences in the hands of an unprofessional doctor or if the patient is not under constant supervision during the experiment. The process of conducting this type of allergy test is the application of synthetic substances identical to the alleged allergen to the skin, then a puncture is made. A substance is considered allergenic if an allergy occurs at the incision site. It is assumed that the reaction caused in this way should proceed in a weak form, however, the body can react and is completely opposite to what dermatologists predicted. Allergy skin testing should not be performed on people with weak immune systems, young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. It is also not recommended to use this method during an exacerbation of allergic and other diseases.
Diagnosis: laboratorytests
Studies conducted in a laboratory are based on measuring the amount of immunoglobulins E in the patient's blood, which are formed during an allergic reaction. Immunoglobulin provokes the release of histamine, which destroys skin cells and organs. In people who are not prone to allergies, immunoglobulin in the blood is contained in extremely small quantities, while in allergic people, even in the absence of symptoms, the level of these antibodies is elevated.
After the test for total immunoglobulin, it is necessary to test the blood serum for specific immunoglobulins. Medical centers offer to examine the patient's blood both for one allergen and for several, united in groups called panels. There are children's, food, inhalation panels and others. To determine which panel to choose, an examination by a dermatologist is necessary, who will recommend a specific panel based on the patient's symptoms.
Before donating blood, you must not take any antihistamines and especially hormonal drugs for two weeks.
Classic treatment regimen
The first step in preventing an allergic reaction is to interrupt the body's contact with the allergen. It is necessary to stop using the allergenic product as soon as possible or rid the body of what has already been eaten with the help of sorbents. With contact allergies, you will have to part with allergy-causing accessories, with hay fever (pollen allergy), you should remove the allergen from the surface of the skin, clothes and hair as soon as possible, that is, wash clothes as often as possible andbathe.
For a more detailed study of the topic, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video, which explains in detail and with humor the ways to determine the allergen.
Antihistamine medications can be used to prevent symptoms. It should be borne in mind that many of them affect the nervous system and have a pronounced side effect: dullness of attention, absent-mindedness, drowsiness. To facilitate breathing and relieve swelling of the bronchi, drugs that block the production of leukotrienes are used. In extreme cases, you can turn to the use of hormonal drugs, but they must be used under the supervision of a physician. Adrenal hormones are actively fighting the allergic reaction, and treatment with drugs containing them is very effective. However, it should be remembered that glucocorticosteroids have side effects from all organs, so they must be used in the system and with extreme caution. Abuse of steroids is fraught with addiction to the drug and the subsequent occurrence of a withdrawal syndrome, in which the body stops producing its own hormones and the patient's condition worsens.
Is it possible to completely get rid of allergies?
The most effective method of dealing with allergies is desensitization. Allergy treatment is carried out in two main steps.
- First allergens are tested.
- Further, during the period of improvement, a specific allergen is introduced into the blood, starting from the lowest concentration withits gradual increase.
Thus, the body gets used to the allergenic component, and sensitivity to it decreases. As a result, an allergic reaction does not manifest itself even with repeated interaction with the allergen. This type of therapy is currently the only way to treat allergies, the rest can only relieve symptoms.
