Questions & Answers

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER—STAY OUT OF AN ALLERGY FOG

Allergies are different for everyone. Their causes and treatment can be complicated, too. Here are answers to some common questions about allergies that will help you stay informed.

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  • Can shorthaired pets cause allergies?

    Neither an animal's fur, nor its length, is the culprit in allergies. The real culprit is a protein found in the animal's saliva or urine. Cats may cause more allergy problems than dogs simply because they tend to lick their fur a lot, spreading the protein onto their coats. Rodents and rabbits may also be allergenic. If you're allergic to furry pets, consider adopting one of these furless friends: fish, hermit crabs, iguanas or snakes.

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  • Is hay fever caused by hay?

    The popular term "hay fever" is considered a misnomer because the condition is neither caused by hay, nor is it a fever. A British physician coined the term in 1828 when he noticed that his allergy symptoms worsened during the British haying season. Today, the term is still used to describe allergy symptoms.

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  • Can moving to Arizona cure someone's allergies?

    Unfortunately, moving to a new location may not help your allergies much. Although the deserts of the American Southwest may lack ragweed and maple trees, other plants grow there that produce pollen—like sagebrush, cottonwood, ash, mulberry and olive trees. People who are sensitive to some pollens may also become sensitive to others found in a new environment. For example, a person who is allergic to ragweed may also become allergic to sagebrush.

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  • Who gets allergies?

    More than 50 million Americans have some form of allergy. Allergic rhinitis, the most common type of allergy, affects approximately 40 million Americans each year. Sensitivity often starts in childhood or young adulthood.

    Although experts do not fully understand why some people develop allergies and others don't, allergies do tend to run in families. If both parents have allergies, a child's chances of developing allergies are 66%. If only one parent has allergies, a child's chances of developing them are about 50%.

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  • Why do allergies affect my nose?

    Your nose filters the air you breathe, helping to prevent unwanted substances from traveling into the lungs. As you inhale, the air circulates over, under and around the inferior, middle and superior nasal turbinates (passages). This process filters, moistens and warms the air.

    When you breathe in an allergen like pollen, it gets filtered out and lodges in the mucus that lines the nasal passages. There, in a sensitized individual, it encounters mast cells, which react by releasing histamine and other mediators. The histamine causes blood vessels in the nose to dilate and leak fluid into the surrounding tissue. When the fluid seeps into the surrounding tissue, it causes swelling, itching and inflammation. Histamine also causes symptoms of runny nose, itchy nose, and itchy and watery eyes.

    Mast cells are also found in the mucous membranes lining your eyes (called conjunctiva), so if an allergen gets into your eye, you may have itchy, red, watery eyes. They also are found in your lungs and digestive tract, and in your skin.

    Sometimes your allergies may also affect your sinuses, the air-filled cavities lined with mucous membranes in the bones surrounding the nose.

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  • How do allergies develop?

    The immune system fights off harmful foreign substances like bacteria and viruses by making antibodies to them. Each antibody recognizes and binds to one specific foreign substance—like a key fitting into a lock. Millions of different antibodies circulate in your bloodstream and are present throughout the body to help fend off any unwanted substances.

    The antibodies of allergic rhinitis are called immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE binds to receptors located on certain cells in the nasal lining called "mast cells." These cells have granules that contain chemicals including "histamine." When an allergen binds to IgE on mast cells, they release histamine. The released histamine latches onto nearby small blood vessels, causing them to dilate (widen). This results in swelling, redness and inflammation. Histamine release also leads to unpleasant symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy nose, and itchy and watery eyes.

    Each allergen produces a distinct set of IgE antibodies. These distinct antibodies are responsible for various allergies. The quantity of IgE antibodies present determines the severity of the allergic reaction. The more IgE antibodies there are to a specific substance, the more pronounced the reaction will be.

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  • At what age do allergies appear?

    People can develop allergy symptoms for the first time at any age—even through mid-life. In children, allergies can sometimes diminish as they grow older. Prompt care and treatment can help diminish allergy symptoms.

    People are not born with allergic rhinitis, but develop it after they are exposed to allergens during the first few years of life. For both males and females, the percentage of people with allergic rhinitis is highest during the later teenage years, stabilizes during the adult years, and gradually decreases during middle and advanced age.

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  • What symptoms could I expect to have with allergies?

    Everyone experiences their symptoms in varying degrees. These are some common symptoms people with allergies might have:

    Runny Nose
    With allergies, nasal discharge is usually thin, clear, and watery.

    Sneezing
    (often three or more times in a row)
    Although some colds can cause sneezing, it is much more common with allergies.

    Allergy Eye
    Symptoms include irritated, red, itchy or watery eyes.

    Allergic Shiners
    Dark, swollen bags under the eyes, possibly caused by nasal congestion.

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  • Is it allergies or a cold?

    Although allergies and colds have similar symptoms, there are some signs that can help you tell the difference between them.

    It's probably an allergy if:
    * There is no fever and no muscle ache.
    * Mucous secretions are clear and runny.
    * Sneezes occur in rapid, multiple sequence.
    * Itchiness in nose, ears and throat (especially the palate or roof of the mouth) is present.
    * Symptoms of seasonal allergies usually last longer than the typical duration of a cold, which is usually 7 to 10 days.

    View chart of allergy vs. cold symptoms

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  • Do allergies run in the family?

    The tendency to develop allergies does tend to run in families, but other factors may come into play. A child's chances of developing allergies are about 50% if one parent has allergies. The chances increase to about 66% if both parents have allergies. Some individuals develop allergies even though neither parent has had a diagnosis of allergy. Many experts also believe that early exposure to a potential allergen may make a person more likely to develop an allergy to it later in life.

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  • Can someone outgrow an allergy?

    People grow into allergies, not out of them. Although some people can have fewer symptoms from certain substances simply by avoiding them, it is nearly impossible to avoid exposure to certain pollens, molds and dust.

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  • Are allergies psychosomatic?

    Allergies may affect your nose, but that doesn't mean they're "all in your head." An allergy is a real medical condition involving your immune system's reaction to a foreign substance. Your symptoms may cause you to feel embarrassed or discouraged, but emotions don't cause allergies.(Also, you can't pass your allergies on to a friend, because they're not contagious.)

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  • Is pollen from flowers the leading cause of allergies?

    Ironically, some of the most feared plants—the brightly flowering varieties—are the least likely to trigger allergic symptoms. Pollen from roses and many other fragrant, colorful flowers tends to be heavy, waxy and sticky, making it less likely to become airborne. These pollens are not spread by the wind. Instead, insects transport pollen from flower to flower. Allergies to these plants are very uncommon (even among florists and gardeners who are exposed to them frequently).

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