Water allergy: A debilitating but thankfully rare condition
In the realm of medical anomalies, few conditions captivate curiosity and concern quite like aquagenic urticaria, commonly known as "water allergy".
Mar 25, 2024
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In the realm of medical anomalies, few conditions captivate curiosity and concern quite like aquagenic urticaria, commonly known as "water allergy".
Mar 25, 2024
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Allergy season is hereāand it's earlier and stronger than expected. More than 80 million Americans deal with itchy eyes, runny nose and other symptoms of seasonal allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation ...
Mar 22, 2024
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Patients who may have been mis-labeled as allergic to penicillin could be safely offered a dose of the oral antibiotic to demonstrate that they could take it without harm, following a new trial.
Mar 19, 2024
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For many people peanuts are a healthy snacking option, but for those people with an allergy, peanuts can be a serious, or even deadly, health risk.
Mar 19, 2024
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Allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs), a potentially life-threatening side effect of blood transfusions with unclear mechanisms, may be linked to food allergies in pediatric patients as per a recent study by scientists from ...
Mar 13, 2024
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Early-life day care attendance may be protective against allergen sensitization, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, held from Feb. 23 to 26 in Washington, ...
Mar 6, 2024
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Though it technically may still be winter, spring allergies in Houston are out in full force. An expert with Baylor College of Medicine gives an upcoming pollen and mold forecast and reviews how to properly use some allergy ...
Mar 6, 2024
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An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is formally called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. Allergic reactions are distinctive because of excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). This reaction results in an inflammatory response which can range from uncomfortable to dangerous.
Mild allergies like hay fever are very common in the human population and cause symptoms such as red eyes, itchiness, and runny nose, eczema, hives, hay fever, or an asthma attack. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis. Food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees are often associated with these severe reactions.
A variety of tests exist to diagnose allergic conditions. These include placing possible allergens on the skin and looking for a reaction such as swelling. Blood tests can also be done to look for an allergen-specific IgE.
Treatments for allergies include avoiding known allergens, use of medications such as anti-histamines that specifically prevent allergic reactions, steroids that modify the immune system in general, and medications such as decongestants that reduce the symptoms. Many of these medications are taken by mouth, though epinephrine, which is used to treat anaphylactic reactions, is injected. Immunotherapy uses injected allergens to desensitize the body's response.
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