Most Common Allergens

What are allergens? You have probably noticed that you get some symptoms like sneezing when you get in close contact with some substances like pollen or dust. Any substance that triggers an allergic response from the body is called an allergen.

There is no cure for allergy. The best you can do is to avoid getting in contact with allergens you know you are allergic to. Additionally, you can take antihistamines in order to alleviate your symptoms. Unfortunately, some allergens cannot be removed for good from our lives. For example, dust is everywhere, so it would be impossible to eliminate it all. but you can do the house cleaning using gloves and a mask, so you protect yourself from inhaling the dust which triggers your allergic reactions.

These are some of the most common allergens known today:

• pollen from plans like birch trees, rye grass, flowers
• foods (all kinds of nuts, cereals, soy, cow’s milk, cheese, yoghurt, seafoods, eggs, apples, tomatoes)
• mold spores
• dust (dust mites - those tiny organisms which live in the dust and which are pretty much everywhere)
• drugs like penicillin, which derives in fact from molds
  
• insect stings (bees, wasps, or sometimes even mosquitoes)
• animal products (hairs, saliva proteins) - allergy to cats is one of the most common forms of the disease
  
• latex (household gloves, rubber toys, balloons)
• cold
  
• effort: some people can develop allergic reactions after they make a sustained effort like running or aerobics
  
• chemicals like chlorine which is usually poured into the water at swimming pools

Whatever your allergens may be, remember that you need to stay away from them as much as you can. Permanent contact with allergens will increase your sensitivity and aggravate your allergy symptoms.