6 everyday things that can cause allergies

Alcohol, perfume or candles are some of the things that can make your allergy worse. To keep them in check this season, learn what common culprits are not your friends when it comes to allergies, reports huffingtonpost.com:

• Contact lenses: Soft contact lenses especially are prone to absorbing airborne irritants like pollen or smoke, because they're permeable. 'A soft lens lets more oxygen through, but can absorb anything in the tears,' said Steven Shanbom, an ophthalmologist. If you're set on wearing contacts and don't like hard lenses, you may want to look into disposable ones that you can throw out daily to prevent pollen buildup.

• Stress: Stress makes you more prone to sniffles. The easy solution to this allergy trigger is to chill out. Meditate or find things to help you relax.

• Alcohol: Alcohol and red wine in particular can make allergies go haywire. Some people are very sensitive to the sulfites, and it makes their allergies a lot worse. These compounds occur naturally in both beer and wine.

• Taking the wrong medications: There are dozens of drugs to choose from and they all promise to cure your sniffles and sneezing. An antihistamine typically relieves sneezing, itchiness and runny nose, while decongestants combat congestion from swollen nasal passages. Some drugstore options may come packaged with both, but you would only need to use a decongestant if your nose is stuffed up in addition to your other symptoms. If bothersome symptoms persist, that's when you should really see an allergist.

• Perfume and candles: Anything with fragrance added can irritate the lining of the eyelids and nasal passages. It includes perfume, scented candles, incense and holiday decorations. Whether you're in a department store or walking down the street, it's nearly impossible to avoid every smell out there, so your best defence is to eliminate these irritants from your home and to medicate yourself to ease symptoms when you encounter them in public.

• Chlorine: Swimming in a chlorinated pool or even just sitting near one can be just as bad for your allergies as candles and perfume. Chlorine is an irritating gas. Indoor pools are worse than outdoor ones because the chlorine is contained to a smaller space.

What is an allergy?

An allergy is a spontaneous response of the immune system towards substances that are usually harmless in nature. The immune cells of the body recognize these substances (called allergens) dangerous and try to get rid of them by releasing an antibody called IgE and other inflammatory chemicals that damage the neighbouring tissues and trigger allergic symptoms.

Treatment and Prevention of allergies

Allergies cannot be cured. The best way to prevent them is to avoid the allergen. But for that you need to undergo proper tests to identify the causative allergen.

Medicines given for allergies help reduce the symptoms and the effect of substances released during an allergic reaction on the surrounding tissues. There are different groups of medications given for allergic reactions depending on the allergen triggering the reaction.

• Antihistamines: These are the most common class of drugs that relieve the symptoms of allergies. They work by blocking the action of substances or molecules called histamines that are released by your system when it detects an allergen.
• Decongestants: Decongestants are another class of medicines that may be given to relieve symptoms like nasal congestion often caused by dust allergy or pet allergy. Read more about Allergies types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• Cosmetic allergies tips to deal with it
• Could you be allergic to your food?
• Self-medication for allergy can be dangerous

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