Lets talk about Allergy!

If like me you are constantly sneezing, almost gorging your eyes out and constantly apologising ( especially in this Covid-19 era!), or have to mind where you get your take out, or are constantly reading ingredients at the supermarket or shops when buying packaged food or skincare products, then you understand the frustrations having an allergy can bring.

Allergies are caused by allergens - which is defined as “a substance that causes an allergic reaction” ¹, and can be roughly broken down into 5 categories: Eczema, Rhinitis, Asthma, Food and Anaphylaxis. We will look at briefly, a list of the most common allergens for each category, and what services and help are available ( some will be UK specific) to help identify what is causing your allergy and how to manage it.

Gathering at a Barbecue

So what are the most common allergens?

1. ALLERGIC RHINITIS ²

   Furry animals like cats and dogs, Mould, Pollen and House dust mite.

2. ASTHMA ³

   Furry animals like cats and dogs, Mould, Pollen and House dust mite.

3. ECZEMA ⁴

   Milk, Wheat, Soya, Peanut, Eggs, Mould, Pollen, Furry animals like cats and dogs and House dust mite.

4. FOOD ⁵

   Children: Tree nuts and peanut, Wheat, Soya, Milk, Eggs.

   Adults: Tree nuts and peanut, Shellfish and Fish.

5. ANAPHYLAXIS ⁶

   Latex, Drugs, Fruits, Milk, Fish, Shellfish, Eggs, Tree nuts and peanut and Insect stings.

IS IT ALLERGY? What happens next!

Most mild allergic reactions can be treated with a dose of antihistamine, bought over the counter like Cetirizine, loratadine or if the allergen is know, for example if its a food stuff then avoidance measures can be used, life threatening allergies with likely hood of causing anaphylaxis may require one to carry a precribed adrenaline auto-injector( Epi-pen, Jext pen, Emmerade). Best practice is always a referral to an allergy clinic, where detailed clinical history is taken, and a range of tests can be carried out like Skin prick tests(amongst others) of suspected allergens, specific IgE blood tests for suspected allergens combined with exposure reduction advice to all sensitised allergens, like removing carpets and replacing them with wooden floors to reduce prevalence of house dust mite for house dust mite allergy or avoiding all shellfish for shellfish allergy. The severity of the allergy and potential risk is also accessed and advice and treatment is prescribed accordingly. It is especially important to attended an allergy clinic if there is increased risk of ANAPHYLAXIS or a suspected case of ANAPHYLAXIS has occured. This is because anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that can end in death and the sooner the causative allergen is found or not and preventative measures are put into place, the chances of not dying from anaphylaxis are improved.

REMEMBER: Use your adrenaline auto-injector as instructed ( if you have one) and call an ambulance or rush to the hospital if you experience any of the following symptoms immediately or within an hour of coming into contact with a suspected allergen.

• feeling lightheaded/dizzy/ collapse

• throat closing up

• shortness of breath

• facial swelling( eyes, tongue, lips etc)

• All over body itch with hives

REFERENCES:

1. Lexico online dictionary: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/allergen [Accessed June 2020]

2. NHS Rhinitis: www.nhs.uk/conditions/allergic-rhinitis/causes [Accessed June 2020]

3. NHS Asthma: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/causes/ [Accessed June 2020]

4. NHS Eczema: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atopic-eczema/ [Accessed June 2020]

5. NHS Food: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/causes/ [Accessed June 2020]

6. NHS Anaphylaxis: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/ [Accessed June 2020]

USEFUL LINKS:

1. Anaphylaxis Campaign: https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/

2. Resuscitation UK: https://www.resus.org.uk/anaphylaxis/

3. EAACI: https://www.eaaci.org/

4. The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology: https://www.bsaci.org/index.htm

5. Allergy and Immunology West Midlands: https://allergyandimmunology.heartofengland.nhs.uk/

6. Thermo Fisher Scientific: https://www.thermofisher.com/diagnostic-education/hcp/wo/en/allergy-autoimmune-diseases.html

7. Allergy Society of Kenya: https://www.allergysociety.or.ke/

8. Allergy tests- Kenya Paediatric Assosiation: http://www.kenyapaediatric.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Allergy-test-their-Application-in-Clinical-management-Dr.-Priya-Bowry.pdf

DISCLAIMER: This article is not a substitute to seeking professional medical advice nor should it be used in place of medical advice.

WORLD ALLERGY WEEK 13th - 19th JUNE 2021.

This year’s focus is on Anaphylaxis: how to Spot. Treat. Prevent. A handy info graphic has been produced by World Allergy Week Organisation and you can learn more at:

https://www.worldallergy.org/