Allergy Research Group

House dust mite droppings
Animal dander
Pollens (of trees, grasses, and weeds)
Molds
Food
Insect venom
Drugs
Latex
Household chemicals, such as cleaning products and fragrances
House dust mites live in the dust that builds up in carpets, bedding, soft furnishings, and soft toys.

Symptoms of Allergic Reactions
Most allergic reactions are mild, consisting of watery and itchy eyes, a runny nose, itchy skin, and some sneezing. Rashes (including hives) are common and often itch.

Hives, also called urticaria, are small, red, slightly elevated areas of swelling (wheals) that often have a pale center. Swelling may occur in larger areas under the skin (called angioedema). Swelling is caused by fluids leaking from blood vessels. Depending on which areas of the body are affected, angioedema may be serious, particularly when it occurs in the throat or airways.

Allergies may trigger attacks of asthma.

Certain allergic reactions, called anaphylactic reactions, can be life threatening. The airways can narrow (constrict), causing wheezing, and the lining of the throat and airways may swell, interfering with breathing. Blood vessels can widen (dilate), causing a dangerous fall in blood pressure.The word allergy is Greek and means altered reaction. Allergy involves changes in the body's response to harmless substances in our environment. These include substances that the body may not have reacted to before, and that other people can tolerate without problems.

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These substances are called allergens, and the most common are proteins in pollen from trees and grasses, food, fur, dust mites or mould, in addition to metals and substances used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

An zofran usa allergic reaction is an overreaction of the immune system to an allergen. Allergy development takes place in two stages, with an initial sensitisation or induction phase followed by an effector phase (see figure below). Clinical symptoms of allergy only appear in the effector phase. Some people do not progress from the induction phase and will therefore not present clinical symptoms of allergy.

Allergisk reaksjon - engelsk.jpg
The figure shows the phases of allergy development

Food allergy
Food allergy is a significant public health problem and is reported to affect 3-4% of adults and 6-8% of children in Europe, with an increasing incidence among children. Changes in eating habits, with new imported products, more processed foods and increased travel can also have contributed to food reactions becoming more common. Food allergy occurs most often in those who have atopic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, asthma and hay fever.

Allergy is defined as an immunological response and is limited to food reactions that can be confirmed by immunological methods such as the detection of IgE antibodies in serum. Food allergies are triggered by food proteins and usually cause quick reactions. These reactions occur because the natural tolerance is broken. Symptoms are commonly seen in other organs than the stomach and intestines, such as the skin, the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Hypersensitivity reactions generally cause intestinal symptoms. Common food allergens include legumes such as peanuts and nuts, flour, fish and shellfish. Cow's milk, wheat and eggs often trigger allergies among children, but they usually grow out of these allergies by school age.

The incidence of severe reactions to food in Norway is unknown. In 2000, the National Register of Severe Allergic Reactions to Food was established to increase knowledge, and doctors have been encouraged to report severe patient reactions. As from January 1st 2018 the Register is no longer in operation.

Respiratory allergy
Respiratory allergies are caused by proteins in the air that are inhaled and trigger airway inflammation. They may be due to specific allergic reactions, or more general reactions to irritants such as smoke and fumes in the indoor and outdoor environment that can aggravate allergy symptoms.

There are many sources of respiratory allergies; house dust contains various components such as dust mites, pet allergens, pollen and particulates that can trigger asthma and allergies. If humidity is too high, mould growth can occur, and the amount of mould spores containing allergens will increase. House dust mites thrive wherever it is hot and humid, especially in mattresses and bedding. Mite faeces are the main cause of allergies. Pet allergens usually come from proteins from animal skin, fur, urine and saliva. The allergens often sit on small particles that can stay aloft for a long time and thus spread over large areas.

The increase in allergic diseases may be related to climate change. A warmer climate leads to a longer pollen season and therefore an increased incidence of respiratory allergies. Pollen can cause cross-allergies because there are similar proteins in pollen and plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts, which will also increase allergic reactions to food. Cross allergies, however, cause milder symptoms than primary allergies.

Skin allergy
There are several different types of skin allergies such as allergic augmentin online pharmacy contact dermatitis, urticaria (hives) and photoallergy. Clinical symptoms for allergic contact dermatitis often occur 1-2 days after exposure to an allergen. Photoallergy symptoms may occur somewhat earlier than allergic contact dermatitis. Urticaria often occurs within minutes after exposure.

The most common causes of skin allergies are exposure to metals and chemicals that can penetrate the skin, but proteins may also cause skin allergy. These substances are present in consumer products such as cosmetics and body care products, hair dyes, detergents, textiles and jewellery. The most common contact allergens are nickel, fragrances and thimerosal (preservative). Approximately 20% of the population has a contact allergy.

Certain occupational groups are particularly vulnerable to developing skin allergies. These are professions with frequent hand washing and work with irritant and sensitising agents (e.g. rubber chemicals, fragrances, preservatives, dyes, metals).

Atopic dermatitis (sometimes called infantile eczema) is a chronic disease with an itchy rash that often appears in early childhood. About 70% of children with atopic eczema grow out of it before adolescence. The trigger factors are unclear, but children with allergic and asthmatic parents have an increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis. A combination of genes and environment seems to be important.

Cosmetic allergy
Undesirable effects from the use of cosmetic products often occur. These include soap, shampoo, moisturisers, deodorants, shaving products and make-up. Undesirable effects include allergies, rashes, blisters, burning or other symptoms.

The products that cause most problems are fragrances, preservatives and hair dyes. Preservatives and fragrances can cause adverse effects, particularly in the form of rashes and other skin reactions.What is a Skin Allergy?
A skin allergy is when skin becomes irritated because the immune system reacted to something that is usually harmless. This is called an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction can cause rash, itching, burning, redness, bumps, hives, and swelling. Many different allergens can cause a reaction. Below are some of the most common allergic skin conditions:

Atopic dermatitis (dur-muh-tahy-tis), or eczema, is when the skin becomes easily irritated, itchy, and dry. It is the most common allergic skin condition, and is more common in children than adults. Eczema is linked to both genetic (inherited from parents) and environmental factors. It is connected to asthma, food allergies, and seasonal allergies. Some things can make eczema flare up, such as certain foods, stress, soaps and lotions, or cold and dry air.
Allergic contact dermatitis is when something touches the skin and causes a reaction. For example, some people are allergic to the metal nickel and will have a skin reaction if jewelry made with nickel touches their skin. A reaction to poison ivy is another example. Many people have an allergic reaction to the oil on a poison ivy or poison oak plant.
Urticaria (ur-ti-kair-ee-uh), or hives, are raised bumps on the skin that form because of an allergic reaction. These bumps are also called welts or wheals. A person may get hives after eating a food they’re allergic to. The bumps are a result of histamine that the body releases in response to the allergen. Things besides allergies can cause hives as well, such as a bug bite.
Angioedema (an-jee-oh-i-dee-muh) is swelling deep in the skin. It often happens on places like the eyelids, lips, and throat, and often happens together with hives.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a skin allergy vary depending on the type of reaction:

Eczema causes an itchy, scaly, red, dry rash, especially on the face, hands, elbows, and knees. Sometimes eczema weeps clear fluid as well.
Allergic contact dermatitis causes a rash that may be itchy but is often painful. The rash where can i buy cymbalta may have both raised bumps and blisters. The reaction may happen right away or it may be up to 48 hours after your skin was exposed to whatever is causing it to react.
Hives are raised, flat, itchy bumps that may also be tender. Hives are a sign of a potentially serious allergic reaction.
Angioedema is a type of swelling. For example, angioedema on the eyelid can cause your eye to be swollen shut. When it happens in the throat, it is an emergency because the swelling makes it hard to breathe.
When to See a Doctor
Hives and angioedema may be signs of a serious allergic reaction. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if:

You have hives all over your body
You are starting to have trouble breathing
See a doctor if:

You need help with controlling your eczema symptoms
Your rash is bleeding or has yellowish pus and looks infected
You think you may have an allergy that you didn’t have before
You have a skin rash that doesn’t get better after 2 to 3 weeks
Causes
A skin allergy is a skin condition where the immune systems reacts strongly to an allergen. The reaction can cause irritation, rashes, swelling, or hives. The cause of the allergy depends on the condition and the allergen.
Diagnosis and Tests
To diagnose a skin allergy condition, your doctor may:

Ask questions about your skin, symptoms you are having, and when it happens.
Examine your skin. The doctor may also look at your eyes, nose, throat, and chest to check for signs of an allergy.
Recommend allergy testing:
Skin prick test. If the doctor suspects you may be allergic to something, the doctor or nurse will put a bit of it on your skin and then lightly scratch the skin. If your body reacts to it, you will usually have a rash, redness, and itching within 15 minutes. You may also see a hive. This suggests an allergy, especially if the hive is large. Your skin can be irritated by things that it’s not allergic to, so the skin prick test is just one piece of information for you and your doctor. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have an allergy even if your skin reacted.
Intradermal (under the skin) skin test. This test is used if the skin prick didn’t cause a reaction, but the doctor still suspects you have an allergy. For this test, a doctor or nurse injects some of the allergen into your skin and checks the reaction after a certain amount of time.
Blood tests (specific IgE). The doctor takes a sample of blood and sends it to the lab. The lab will put the suspected allergen into your blood and check for IgE, which your blood makes to attack the allergens. Unfortunately, this test is not always reliable because it will often show that there is allergy when, in fact, there isn’t one. This is called a “false positive.”
Challenge test. While you are in the doctor’s office, you inhale or eat a small amount of allergen so the doctor can see if you react. The doctor is there to observe and help in case you have a life-threatening reaction. This test is used to check for allergic reactions to food or medicine.
Patch test. This test checks for allergic contact dermatitis. The doctor puts a small amount of allergen on your skin, covers it with a bandage, and lets it sit for 2 to 4 days. The doctor checks for signs of a reaction — usually a rash right under the bandage.
Treatments
Treatment for skin allergy varies depending on the problem and the allergen, but usually includes two approaches:

Avoid the allergen, if it is known
Use medicines, creams, and other strategies to relieve the itching, swelling, or pain
Below are some recommendations for treating each of the allergic skin reaction types.