Some Common Causes of Allergic Reactions
Some common causes of allergic reactions are:
INHALANTS: Pollen from ragweed, grasses, trees, hair (dog and cat hair), animal dander, dust from particulate matter expelled from factories as smoke, house dust, feathers, molds (spores from mildew, plant rust, and smut).
CONTACTANTS objects that touch the skin): Wool, some synthetic materials, dyes of many kinds, plants such as poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, cosmetics, jewelry, household cleansers, industrial chemicals, and so on.
DRUGS: Many useful and essential drugs, such as penicillin and animal serum, can set off serious allergic reactions in a few specifically sensitized individuals. An allergic response to ingested medicine is still too frequent a medical problem. A careful history of prior experience should precede the use of any medication. The potentially good results must be always weighed against the theoretical potential danger. The risks can run from a minor upset to catastrophe-sudden death. One must never be an indiscriminate swallower of medicine.
Almost any drug can cause hives in sensitized individuals. Other frequent offenders are sulfa drugs, phenacetin, and antitoxin serum. Practically every drug can induce an adverse reaction in some people even though it may have been harmless at one time.
CHEMICALS: Not only industrial chemicals but also those used at home, such as disinfectants, insecticides, and detergents.
FOOD: Almost any food can cause an allergic reaction, but the better known culprits are fish, shellfish, strawberries, eggs, wheat, chocolate, tomatoes, nuts. and occasionally, milk, pork, and some cheeses.
COSMETICS: Fairly common producers of allergic reactions (2.5 reactions to every million units sold), such cosmetics include hair dyes, hair bleach, nail polish, lipstick, rouge, creams, and essential perfume oils (0.2 reaction per million units sold).
SUNLIGHT: Too much sunlight can cause a skin disorder and in many cases skin cancer, particularly in relatively nonpigmented skin.
HEAT AND COLD: Occasionally some people will have an allergic response to heat and cold. Aside from hives (urticaria), some individuals can go into shock and unconsciousness from plunging into cold water. Cases of sudden death from drowning have been attributed to this cause.
Helpful drugs for allergic individuals include antihistamines and steroids; desensitization programs of graduated injections of the allergen itself are of particular value in respiratory allergies. So is the patch test in which a suspected allergenic substance is placed on a small piece of cloth that is applied to the skin and fastened with adhesives. Another substance, not suspected, is similarly applied to the skin. Both “patches” are removed after twenty-four hours. If only the suspected substance shows irritation, the subject is sensitive to it.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The removal of possible allergens, such as dust catchers, flowers, wool blankets, and occasionally rubber pillows, is vital in preventive therapy.
