Medical myths: All about allergies

 For Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, this edition of the Medical Myths series tackles some of the many myths and misconceptions associated with allergies.

In brief, an allergy is an unusual or exaggerated immune response triggered by a particular substance. Symptoms often include itchy eyes, wheezing, and sneezing. For many people, allergic reactions are uncomfortable and unpleasant, but they can be life threatening for others.

According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 60 millionTrusted Source people in the United States experience allergies each year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 20% of people worldwide have an allergic condition.

One of the most common allergies — hay fever — affected an estimated 19.2 millionTrusted Source adults in the U.S. during 2018, and this figure is likely to rise.

“Allergies are currently on the rise in the U.S.,” explained Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh, an otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.

He told Medical News Today that “scientists believe the increasing prevalence of environmental allergies is due to changing weather patterns and increasing pollen blooms in the U.S.”

Considering their prevalence, understanding and dismissing the myths associated with allergies is an important task. Here, we tackle 11 such myths.

1. Allergies only develop in children

One persistent myth is that once you reach adulthood, you don’t develop any more allergies. This is untrue.

One studyTrusted Source, for instance, looked at the prevalence of food allergies in 40,443 adults in the U.S. At the time of the survey, 10.8% of participants had a food allergy.

The authors found that in around half of these individuals with food allergies, at least one of these food allergies developed during adulthood.

2. There are no treatments for allergies

In general, the best way to minimize allergic reactions is to avoid triggers, whether a particular food or a type of animal. There are no cures for allergies.

However, certain treatments can effectively reduce the symptoms. For instance, decongestants can relieve the nasal symptoms of allergies, while antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays can also be effective.

Additionally, allergy immunotherapy can help reduce allergies. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology states:

“Immunotherapy involves giving gradually increasing doses of the substance, or allergen, to which the person is allergic. The incremental increases of the allergen cause the immune system to become less sensitive to the substance, probably by causing production of a ‘blocking’ antibody, which reduces the symptoms of allergy when the substance is encountered in the future.”

3. Food allergies and food intolerances are the same

This is not true: food allergies and food intolerances are different. When someone experiences a food allergy, it is driven by their immune systemTrusted Source, usually associated with the action of Immunoglobulin E (IgE).

During an IgE-mediated immune responseTrusted Source, IgE binds to receptors on specific cells, including mast cells and basophils. These cells then produce histamine and other compounds, causing symptoms to appear very rapidly.

On the other hand, intolerances do not involve the immune system, and symptoms take longer to appear. And while intolerances are not life threatening, food allergies can be in some cases.

4. Allergies are for life

Thankfully, this is a myth. Although some allergies do persist for life, as Dr. Mehdizadeh told MNT, “Some allergies may simply dissipate with age.”

Whether an allergy diminishes over time can depend on the allergen. The authors of a review on food allergies explain:

5. Peanut allergies are the most serious

Although peanut allergies are common — affecting an estimated 6.1 million people in the U.S. — and can certainly be dangerous, there is no way to rank allergy severity. Some individuals might have only a mild reaction to peanuts but, for others, it could spark anaphylaxis.

Although certain foods, such as tree nuts, shellfish, and eggs, account for most allergies, virtually any food can trigger a reaction. The severity of the reaction depends on an individual’s immune system.

Source: Medical News Today