Allergy is a body’s reaction to any antigen, allergen or foreign body, which is otherwise harmless but results in development of allergic symptoms in some people due to their increased susceptibility or sensitivity to that particular substance. Allergic reactions can range from mild as in case of seasonal allergies to very severe as in case of anaphylaxis, which is a life threatening condition.
A person can develop allergy to various things like seasonal change, pollens, dust, some food substances, certain smells, resulting in wide variety of symptoms like rhinitis with runny nose and watery eyes and even headaches, digestive problems causing loose stool or constipation, skin symptoms like rashes, wheels, itchiness etc. All these are allergic reaction symptoms which can be very beautifully treated by homeopathic medicines.
Homeopathic medicines help to normalize the increased susceptibility of the patient and thus treating the allergies to a whole extent and not just giving palliative relief for a short duration of time.
The following are a few substances which precipitate an allergic reaction:
Seasonal allergy, which could be caused due to pollens, change of temperature results in:
• Sneezing
• Watery eyes, which may or may not burn
• Runny and stuffy nose
• Pain in throat
• Mild cough
Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis, can cause:
• Sneezing
• Itching of the nose, eyes or roof of the mouth
• Runny, stuffy nose
• Watery, red or swollen eyes (conjunctivitis)
Dust mites and mold
• Watery eyes
• Nasal discharge and blockage with sneezing
• Cough and wheezing, like acute asthmatic attack
A food allergy can cause:
• Tingling in the mouth
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, face or throat
• Hives
• Anaphylaxis
• Long term allergic reactions involving multiple systems (eg celiac disease)
An insect sting allergy can cause:
• A large area of swelling (edema) at the sting site
• Itching or hives all over the body
• Cough, chest tightness, wheezing or shortness of breath
• Anaphylaxis
A drug allergy can cause:
• Hives
• Itchy skin
• Rash
• Facial swelling
• Wheezing
• Anaphylaxis
Atopic dermatitis, an allergic skin condition also called eczema, can cause skin to:
• Itch
• Redden
• Flake or peel
Anaphylaxis
Some types of allergies, including allergies to foods and insect stings, can trigger a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis. A life-threatening medical emergency, anaphylaxis can cause you to go into shock. Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
• Loss of consciousness
• A drop in blood pressure
• Severe shortness of breath
• Skin rash
• Lightheadedness
• A rapid, weak pulse
• Nausea and vomiting
Stress
Long term stress can also aggravate the allergic conditions, as it results in effecting the immunity of the person.
How does allergic reaction takes place
An “allergic reaction” is the way your body responds to the allergen. A chain of events occur that result in an allergic reaction.
If you are prone to allergies, the first time you’re exposed to a specific allergen (such as pollen), your body responds by producing allergic (IgE) antibodies. The job of these antibodies is to find the allergens and help remove them from your system. As a result, a chemical called histamine is released and causes symptoms of allergies such as vasodilation, mucous secretion, nerve stimulation, and smooth muscle contraction. This results in rhinorrhea, itchiness, dyspnea, and anaphylaxis. Depending on the individual, allergen, and mode of introduction, the symptoms can be system-wide (classical anaphylaxis), or localized to particular body systems like asthma is localized to the respiratory system and eczema is localized to the dermis.
Complications
Sometimes the body reacts in a way to any allergen that it could give rise to serious complications as:
• Anaphylaxis. If you have severe allergies, you’re at increased risk of this serious allergy-induced reaction. Foods, medications and insect stings are the most common triggers of anaphylaxis.
• Asthma. If you have an allergy, you’re more likely to have asthma — an immune system reaction that affects the airways and breathing. In many cases, asthma is triggered by exposure to an allergen in the environment (allergy-induced asthma).
• Sinusitis and infections of the ears or lungs. Your risk of getting these conditions is higher if you have hay fever or asthma.
HOMEOPATHIC VIEW
Homeopathic treatment is suitable for all sort of allergic conditions like anaphylaxis, rhinitis, food allergies etc that is from severe to mild forms of allergies and even help in avoiding any complications which could arise as result of getting frequent allergies.
There are a vast number of medicines from which only a particular medicine is chosen that suits the disposition of the affected person and therefore normalizes the susceptibility to the allergic substances so that the body reacts normally and does not produce any abnormal reactions.
Homeopathic medicines are suitable even for the most sensitive people also, and do not trigger any allergic reactions rather help treat their allergies.
