Prevention has always been better than cure.
And as in any situation, it always helps to be able to forecast what will go wrong if certain chain of events were to be observed.
This is very important when it comes to fighting allergic disorders.
And as much as those affected are powerless when the disease strikes, they are more than able to act against it when they are first equipped with proper information.
To give a brief insight, an allergy is a physiologic condition that forces the body to act against itself upon provocation of a substance known as allergen.
This can be in the form of a particular food group or medicine.
Or it can be mere dust, pollen, insect venom or a foreign substance that it is introduced to the body internally (blood or organs) or externally (latex).
Allergies are usually inherited.
However, sensitivity to sanitation and other environmental factors can also contribute to the development of this disorder.
Allergies are usually instigated by antibodies known as IgE.
These are the first to react when in the presence of a seemingly threatening allergen.
Once stimulated, IgE's travel the blood stream and activate as many mast cells and basophils as they can.
These white blood cells then instigate an inflammatory response which prepares the body for defense and healing.
Mast cells and basophils begin the allergic reaction by releasing histamines, cytokines and prostaglandins which cause swelling, warmth and redness in the area affected.
This reaction then attracts other WBCs to fight against the perpetrated foreign substance and platelet activating factors are also called forth to take care of damage restoration.
Although apparently helpful, in allergic reactions, white blood cells and antibodies actually do the opposite of their intended goals and end up harming the system that they work to protect.
Since they actually do not have anything to destroy, they end up diverting their efforts to certain organs of the body and cause tissue injury.
Although controllable through meds, allergic reactions can potentially be deadly as in the case of anaphylaxis wherein a body wide activation of mast cells occurs.
It is essential for every person to know whether or not they are allergic to certain products, in order to avoid suffering allergic reactions.
Diagnosis can be done in two ways: •Skin Testing - This is the better if one wants to check for allergen specific IgE antibodies.
In this process, multiple punctures are done on the patient's skin (usually the forearm and the back) wherein minute amounts of known allergens (insect toxins, dust, plants, food) are introduced intradermally.
Each part is then marked accordingly using a pen.
After 30 minutes, skin reactions will be observed in the areas of exposure.
Redness and the formation of hives indicate what specific substance the person is allergic to.
The severity of the allergic disorder is interpreted by how large and scattered the wheal and redness is on the skin.
•Blood Testing - In this process, blood is drawn and tested for the level of IgE antibodies it contains.
Unlike skin testing which is specific and more sensitive, blood testing will only quantitatively and qualitatively describe whether a person is prone to allergic reactions or not.
It does not give any insight as to what may be the triggering substance.
However, blood testing is helpful when a person admitted to be tested for possible allergic reactions.
It avoids further aggravation of the condition and speculation of other diseases that may mimic the symptoms of an allergic response.
A skin test consultation can cost around $60 to $300 dollars depending on how many allergens are to be introduced.
A blood allergy test price tag, meanwhile, is estimated to be $200 to $1,000.
It's good if you have insurance cause these particular diagnostic treatments.
So don't hesitate to simplify the way you manage your health.
Early detection can actually save your life.