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Allergies and sinus problems afflict some 80 million
Americans, and represent a major health expenditure. Allergies result
in $2 billion spent by consumers and employers on allergy treatments,
according to USA Today.
The following information is provided by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturers of Zyrtec. What are Allergies? Separating fact from fiction is the first step toward understanding your allergies. In this section you'll learn about allergies and symptoms, and what happens in your body during an allergic reaction. A better knowledge of allergies can help you better treat your symptoms. What is an allergy? An allergy is a specific immunologic reaction to a normally harmless substance, one that does not bother most people. People with allergies are often sensitive to more than one substance. Common allergens that cause allergic reactions include seasonal, outdoor allergens like tree, grass, and weed pollen, and year-round indoor allergens including dust particles, animal dander, and indoor mold. In some people, medicines, insect venom, and foods may also cause allergic reactions. See your doctor or healthcare provider promptly if you suspect you are having an allergic reaction to these substances. Why are some people allergic and others not? It may be all in the family, after all. Scientists and researchers believe that people inherit a tendency to be allergic, although not to any specific allergen. Children are much more likely to develop allergies if their parents have allergies. If you are allergic, your child has a 25% chance of developing allergies. If both you and your spouse have allergies, the chances rise to 75%. So check with your parents, grandparents, and other family members to see if they have allergies, too. Exposure to allergens at certain times when the body's defenses are lowered or weakened, such as after a viral infection, during puberty, or during pregnancy, also seems to contribute to the development of allergies. Interestingly, people with year-round (perennial) allergies commonly develop the problem as adults, and are more likely to be women than men. Symptoms can lessen as you get older, but they rarely completely disappear without treatment. What is an allergic reaction? Normally, your immune system protects you against invading agents such as bacteria and viruses. If you have allergies, otherwise harmless allergens (allergy-producing substances) cause your body to react as if they were dangerous invaders. In effect, your immune system is responding to a false alarm. When you first come into contact with an allergen, your immune system treats the allergen as an invader and mobilizes an attack. The immune system does this by generating large amounts of a type of antibody (a disease-fighting protein) specific to the particular allergen you're allergic to. (Nonallergic people produce only small amounts of these antibodies.) In the case of pollen allergy, the antibody is specific for each type of pollen: one antibody may be produced to react against oak pollen and another against ragweed pollen, for example. This antibody attaches itself to certain cells in your body. The next time you come into contact with the allergen, the allergen attaches to the antibody like a key fitting into a lock, causing the release of powerful inflammatory chemicals, including histamine. These chemicals move into various parts of your body, such as your respiratory system, to cause allergy symptoms including runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing, among others. For more complete information on this subject please visit www.zyrtec.com.
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