Allergies!!!!!!!!!?

Question

What are the most SERIOUS things too be allergic too? My cousin is allergic to all nuts and it is very serious if she eats one.. what other things can be quite serious? and being allergic to something do you make your self allergic or does it just happen? HOW!?

Answer 1

Top 10 Skin Allergens:

1. Nickel
2. Gold
3. Balsam of Peru (a fragrance used in lotions and perfumes)
4. Thimerosal (a mercury-containing additive found in antiseptics and vaccines)
5. Neomycin sulfate (an antibiotic found in first-aid creams and ointments)
6. Fragrance mix (used in foods, cosmetics, dental products and insecticides)
7. Formaldehyde (a preservative)
8. Cobalt chloride (a metal used in hair dye, antiperspirant, and medical products)
9. Bacitracin (an antibiotic used in cream-form)
10. Quaternium 15 (a preservative found in cosmetic and industrial products)

Top 8 Respiratory Allergens

1. Dust mites
2. Rye
3. Ragweed
4. Cockroaches
5. Pollen
6. Mold
7. Animal dander
8. Dust

Top 8 Digestive Allergies

1. Milk
2. Egg
3. Peanut
4. Tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc.)
5. Fish
6. Shellfish
7. Soy
8. Wheat

You don't make yourself allergic. An allergic reaction is the body's way of responding to an "invader." When the body senses a foreign substance, called an antigen, the immune system is triggered. The immune system normally protects the body from harmful agents such as bacteria and toxins. Its overreaction to a harmless substance (an allergen) is called a hypersensitivity, or allergic reaction.

In rare cases an allergic reaction can lead to Anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis refers to a rapidly developing and serious allergic reaction that affects a number of different areas of the body at one time. Severe anaphylactic reactions can be fatal. Most people experience allergy symptoms only as a minor annoyance. However, a small number of allergic people are susceptible to a reaction that can lead to shock or even death. Fortunately, anaphylaxis is rare. The death rate from anaphylaxis is about 1 out of every 2.5 million people per year.

Answer 2

Any allergy can be serious. It just depends on the reaction by your body. I'm mildly allergic to latex, my skin itches a little where the latex came in contact with my skin. Some people go into anaphylaxic shock when exposed to latex. Some people are allergic to strawberries. Some people are allergic to bananas. Some people are allergic to dust. You don't consciously make yourself allergic. Your body develops the wrong antibody to what you came in contact with. Every thing, every speck of dust, every new thing your body comes in contact with, it creates an antibody. Sometimes your body will make the wrong antibody and will dump what's called histimine into your system, which causes your allergic reaction.

Answer 3

I suppose it is worse, but I knew relatives that had allergies back in the 60's. My cousin was allergic to mosquitos. Just one bite would make her vomit repeatedly. She went to an allergist and had treatment for her mosquito allergies. I was allergic to nearly all raw fruits and vegetables. Even getting the juice on my skin made me break out in a rash. My great-grandmother had hay fever. She was born in the 1800's. I also was allergic to the smell of skunk. It would burn like pepper spray and I would break out in hives. Severe allergies do seem to be on the rise. The only analyphalatic reactions I knew about back in the 60's was to bee stings. You never heard of anyone dieing from eating the wrong food.

Answer 4

It really depends on the person. You can be severely allerigic or mildly allergic. I have a pal who can't eat nuts (like your friend) or his throws swells & he'll die, and I have a friend who can eat any nut except walnuts b/c his throat gets a little itchy. It varies. Some are allergic to dairy, some to grass, some to bees, some to fake jewelry. You never know.
People are born this way sometimes, but they can also become allergic later on. I notice many women who pregnant develop allergic reactions to certain things also, like kiwi fruit.

Answer 5

There are some fantastic articles on allergies at http://www.pamelaegan.com, the website of a Nurse Practitioner and Health Columnist.

Allergic Rhinitis - http://www.pamelaegan.com/articles/health/allergic-rhinitis.htm

Dust Allergies -
http://www.pamelaegan.com/articles/health/dust-allergies.htm

Peanut Allergies - http://www.pamelaegan.com/articles/health/peanut-allergies.htm

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac - http://www.pamelaegan.com/articles/health/poison-ivy-oak-sumac.htm

Answer 6

it auctually depends on how much u eat the object your allergic 2! and its inherited

Answer 7

the sun is the worst or cotton cause of the clothes have cotton in them