What Are Allergies?

If you experience hay fever-like symptoms all year round, you may have what’s called ‘perennial allergic rhinitis’. This condition is caused by an allergy to substances that are always present, not just in hay fever season, such as house dust mites, pet dander, or certain chemicals or foods.

Fortunately, for most people, this isn’t a serious problem and can be quite easily managed.

No one knows for sure exactly what causes allergies. What we do know is that an allergy is our immune system’s reaction to a usually harmless substance that doesn’t bother most other people.

You may have an allergy to one thing, or many things, that you come into contact with either by eating, touching or inhaling.

There are lots of different causes of allergic reaction and symptoms range from mild to potentially life-threatening – especially for asthmatics, as an allergy can trigger asthma attacks. In fact, up to 80% of asthmatics* get hay fever, which can make asthma attacks harder to control.

Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms from allergic reactions mostly strike those parts of your body that come in contact with the ‘enemy’ substance, including:

• Itchiness in your nose, eyes, throat and roof of your mouth
• Clear runny nose
• Watery red eyes
• A feeling of pressure and puffiness in your sinuses
• Ears feeling ‘full’
• Hives on your skin
• Facial swelling
• Inflammation/swelling at the site of contact
• Eczema and skin rashes
• Difficulty breathing
• Asthma attacks
• Swelling in mouth and throat

Why Do Allergies Occur?

Your body’s immune system produces antibodies to fight off parasites, viruses, infections and other harmful invaders. This defence system helps keep you in good health.

Unfortunately, some people’s immune systems mistakenly identify harmless substances (such as pollens) as dangerous. On their first encounter with this ‘enemy’ allergen, their response is to defend the body by creating antibodies to fight it off.

These antibodies attach themselves to the many mast cells in your nose, eyes, and lungs. Here the antibodies wait, ready to deal with the next invasion of the allergen.

When the allergen appears again, the antibodies grab it, triggering the mast cells to release powerful chemicals called histamines.

These histamines can cause a lot of trouble, within minutes of contact. Their activity triggers the uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Did you know?

People can suffer allergic reactions to everyday substances such as dust, pollens and animal fur. Some allergy risk factors are believed to be:

• Heredity

• Exposure to infectious diseases during childhood

• Environmental pollution

• Allergen levels

• Changes in diet

Allergy Treatments

The good news is that you don’t have to put up with many of the symptoms of allergies.

These days there’s a wide range of ways to alleviate allergic reactions, along with huge improvements in the way medical professionals treat them.

Your doctor or pharmacist can help you. You may be surprised by how effective prescription and over-the-counter treatments are in reducing or even removing your allergy symptoms. There are also many natural treatments for allergies, with hay fever remedies being top of the list during New Zealand’s hay fever season.

If allergies mean you suffer from a runny nose or sneezing, try Kleenex Allergy Comfort Tissues dermatologically tested, with reduced linting and extra soft tissue to help soothe and relieve a sore red nose.