Organising Allergy research - 4

SECONDARY - QUANTITATIVE 

How common?

According to the British Allergy Foundation, 1 in 3 people suffer from an allergy at some point in their lives. These numbers increase every year.

Children with one allergic parents

 have a 33% chance of developing allergies. 

TREATMENT AND MEDICATION AVAILABLE

Immunotherapy - Reduces sensitivity to allergens - usually used for chronic hay fever. A series of injection given over several years, giving tiny doses if the antigen of which a person is allergic to, increasing  doses over time means the immune system become less sensitive to it. 

Antihistamines - Comes in many forms and has been used to treat allergy symptoms for many years. They are available over the counter and through prescription for those with chronic symptoms. Examples consist of Benadryl and Claritin.

Decongestants - Relieves congestion. Can only be used for a few days. Examples consist of sedated tablets, Zyrtec-D. Used for blocked noses and swollen blood vessels in the eye, along with mucous secretion.

Combination Allergy drugs - Contain both antihistamine and decongestant to relieve multiple symptoms. Other combinations are also available. Examples consist of Benadryl Allergy and Sinus and Tylenol Allergy and Sinus.

Other elements which contribute to you getting an allergy is due to health, poor or weak health means if you come into contact with an allergen your more likely to develop and allergy to it.

The procedure of an allergic reaction

An allergic reaction happens when an allergen is is treated, by the body's immune system although a threat. It therefore reacts in a way to fight of the allergen, producing antibodies. The next time the body comes into contact with this allergen, the immune system remembers how it dealt with this, this causes a release of chemicals in the body which lead to an allergic reaction.

Cause of allergies?

Allergens are mostly harmless, and are common, for instance pollen in the air, a cat etc. What causes the reactions is our own immune system over reacting to a some what non-existent threat, resulting in our body giving a misguided assault.

The relation between Allergies and Genetics - Secondary Information

According to online statistics identical twins are 70% likely to have the same allergic diseases. Allergic parents are likely to have allergic children and are likely to be more severe than if they have non-allergic parents. 

Some allergies though are not consistent along with genealogies; parents allergic to peanuts may have children who are allergic to ragweed.

Apparently the likelihood of  of allergies developing is inherited and related to an irregularity in the immune system,  but the specific allergen is not.