ALLERGY

“Dinner is served !” those were the words of the cook when she presented the meal. Dolapo, who has been anticipating the meal heads straight to the dining table, the sight of the food is indeed inviting, and as she takes the first morsel of the yam flour with the soup, she can't help but admit it tastes really good, but as she swallows, she feels a itchy sensation in her throat and an upsetting stomach, the next five minutes were spent in the toilet, her head tilted towards the sink, vomiting. What just happened ?




In a bid to make the meal tastier, the cook had added powdered crayfish to the soup. The problem is, the cook didn't know, Dolapo is allergic to crayfish, no matter the quantity, no matter how little, it causes her throat to itch and she ends up vomiting.

What's an Allergy ? It's a reaction of the immune system to something, which may not be of harm to others. The immune system becomes hypersensitive upon introduction of the “allergen” into the body. It differs between people as what makes Mr B hypersensitive may cause no harm for Mr A.

The human body is designed to fight germs with the immune system working as the soldier.

What occurs in most Allergic reaction is that, the soldier  (immune system) is responding to false alarm in an abnormal and vigorous way.

Allergies affects organs of the body such as, eyes, nose, ears, skin airways and the gastrointestinal tract.

The part affected may be due to how the body came in contact with the allergen.

For example, dust or pollen, are airborne allergens, it may get into the eyes or the nose, thereby causing different allergic reactions. Inhaled allergen may result in sneezing or irritation of the nose or redness or itchiness of the eyes.

Allergy could be minor or severe depending on the situation and state of the person's health. Anaphylaxis is a severe type of allergic reaction. Its quick and its symptoms such as hives, skin redness, mouth swelling, short breath or weak pulse could be life threatening as it affects various organs of the body.

Being observant helps one to know if one is allergic to something or an environment, however, important laboratory test is the best way to ascertain if a reaction is allergic. Such tests are called Allergic Testing.

Allergic Testing carried out through and on various organs of the body, includes; skin prick test, patch test, blood testing or Challenge test (where small amounts of suspected allergens are introduced into the body, it's mostly used for food and medication allergies and must be supervised by an allergist)

Managing Allergy is simple, by avoiding what triggers the allergic reactions and use of proper medications to reduce the symptoms.

Medications used for allergies are based on the symptoms of the reaction. The medication is used to block the action of the allergic mediators or prevent activation of cells. It includes ; antihistamines, glucocorticoids, mast cells stabilizers and antileukotriene agents.

Allergic immunotherapy is also another form of treatment though it's used for environmental allergies, insect bites or asthmatic reactions. It's not beneficial for the treatment of food allergies and not recommended.

In closure, it's important that we all be observant of our body system as it changes and reacts to our environment and what we eat. Maintain a healthy lifestyle through proper hygiene, regular exercises and healthy eating.