DEFINITION

An allergy is an immune system response to a foreign substance that’s not typically harmful to your body. These foreign substances are called allergens. They can include certain foods, pollen, or pet dander. Your immune system’s job is to keep you healthy by fighting harmful pathogens. It does this by attacking anything it thinks could put your body in danger. Depending on the allergen, this response may involve inflammation, sneezing, or a host of other symptoms.

CAUSES OF ALLERGIE

 

Allergies have a genetic component. This means parents can pass them down to their children. Specific allergies aren’t passed down.

Common types of allergens include:

• Animal products - These include pet dander, dust mite waste, and cockroaches.

• Drugs - Penicillin and sulfa drugs are common trigger.

• Foods -Wheat, nuts, milk, shellfish, and egg allergies are common.

• Insect stings - These include bees, wasps, and mosquitoes.

• Mold -   Airborne spores from mold can trigger a reaction.

• Plants -   Pollens from grass, weeds, and trees, as well as resin from   plants such as poison ivy and poison oak, are very common plant allergens.

Other allergens.

• Seasonal allergies 

This also known as hay fever, are some of the most common allergies. These are caused by pollen released by plants. They cause:

• itchy eyes
• watery eyes
• runny nose
• coughing

Food allergies are becoming more common.

SYMPTOMS

1. Mild reactions are like local symptoms such as a rash or hives, itchiness, watery/red eyes, hay fever and runny nose.

          Mild reactions do not spread to other parts of your body.

2. Moderate reactions symptoms that spread to other parts of your body. Symptoms may include itchiness, hives, and/or swelling and trouble breathing.

1. A severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis may begin with severe itching of your eyes or face. Within minutes, more serious symptoms appear, including throat swelling which could cause problems with swallowing and breathing, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, hives and swelling

​COMPLICATIONS

1. People with allergies are also at risk of developing:

Eczema (a skin condition characterized by inflammation),Ear or lung infections, Sinusitis or sinus infection, Nasal polyps (growths on the lining of the nose or sinuses),Migraine headaches

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES FOR ALLERGY

1) Allium Cepa

• Eyes and nose run like a faucet
• Violent sneezing with profuse, watery, acrid discharge; upper lip may swell from irritating mucus
• Bland LACHRYMATION
• Eyes sensitive to light; sneezing worse when entering warm room, runny nose with cough, hoarseness and headache.

2] Dulcamara

• Constant sneezing; profuse nasal discharge and tearing from the eyes, especially worse in summer.
• Nose block in cold damp , headache from stoppage of nasal discharge
• Sudden change of weather from warm to cold.

3] Euphrasia

• Profuse, acrid lachrymation and bland nasal discharge (opposite of Allium cepa)
• Eyes water constantly,  frequent blinking and burning, swollen eyelids
• Sticky mucus on cornea , photophobia , dryness and violent itching of eyes , watering eyes

4. Kali Bichromicum

• Thick, stringy, greenish-yellow mucus from nose and throat that difficult to expel
• Thick postnasal drip with frequent hawking, profuse, watery, irritating nasal discharge.
• Very dry nose with aching fullness in nasal bones.

5. Natrum Muriaticum

• Profuse, watery nasal discharge, like egg-white.
• Stuffiness alternates with runny nose
• loss of taste and smell
• Hammering headache, swollen eyelids.

6] Pulsatilla

• Profuse, thick, creamy, yellowish-green, bland nasal discharge
• Stuffy nose, worse warm room
• better walking in open air
• Frequent sneezing
• Red, itchy, swollen eyelids, profuse lachrymation
• Weeps quite easily

7] Sabadilla

• Violent fits of sneezing, from itching, tingling, tickling inside nose with profuse, watery nasal discharge
• Itching of soft palate, sensitive to odors
• Dry mouth but patient is thirst less.