In our time, allergy—a problem affecting millions of people—may also affect you, your children, or your loved ones. If you answer “yes” to some of the following questions, you may also be allergic:
- Do you frequently have itching or redness on your skin that lasts for weeks?
- Do you experience frequent sneezing, prolonged nasal itching, nasal congestion, or runny nose, especially in spring?
- Are you overly sensitive to smells?
- Have you ever woken up at night with shortness of breath or wheezing?
- Do you experience widespread redness or itching on your body after taking certain medications or eating certain foods?
WHAT IS AN ALLERGY?
The human body encounters numerous substances every day, either intentionally or unintentionally. Some of these substances are taken in as food or drink, while others enter our body unintentionally through the mouth, nose, eyes, or lungs. Our body processes and uses many of these substances—especially nutrients—while eliminating their waste products. However, some substances can be harmful to the body, and once they enter, the body initiates intense activity to neutralize or eliminate them.
An allergy, or hypersensitivity, occurs when our body overreacts to a substance it has previously encountered and recognized as harmful, developing a counteracting substance against it. Although the main purpose of this reaction is to remove the offending substance, excessive response can also cause harm to the body itself.
WHAT ARE ALLERGIC DISEASES?
As a result of allergic reactions, many different diseases may develop in the human body. The occurrence of these diseases often requires the presence of other contributing factors in addition to allergy itself. Today, while some diseases are known to be directly caused by allergies, there are also many others that are likely allergy-related. The most common diseases known to be caused by allergic reactions are:
- Anaphylaxis
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Bronchial Asthma
- Eye Allergies
- Skin Allergies
- Food Allergies
- Drug and Vaccine Allergies
- Insect Allergies
- Digestive System Allergies
HOW ARE ALLERGIC DISEASES DIAGNOSED?
The methods used in diagnosing allergic diseases vary depending on the type of illness, but there are also general tests used to evaluate overall allergic status. These include measurements of total IgE and allergen-specific IgE levels in the blood, eosinophil count, skin tests, histamine release test, provocation tests, nasal smear, pulmonary function tests, exercise test, biopsy from the affected organ, and challenge tests with specific allergens. IgE levels vary according to age. Immediately after birth, the amount of IgE in a baby’s blood is very low and increases with age. Laboratories determine normal reference ranges for each age group. Values higher than these ranges are considered abnormal. Allergic diseases are only one of the conditions that raise IgE levels; parasitic, fungal, and viral infections, among many other diseases, can also cause elevated IgE levels in the blood.
WHY ARE SKIN TESTS PERFORMED?
The purpose of skin testing is to determine which substances a person is allergic to. For this purpose, a very small amount of an allergen is applied to the skin, and the resulting reaction is evaluated.