What is Allergy?
Allergy means ‘altered reactivity’ in which the body’s immune system reacts when exposed to a substance or factor to which the body is allergic.
If you are allergic to a food or chemical (e.g., milk or petrol fumes) then exposure will give you allergic symptoms (e.g., flu-like illness, palpitations, rash, headache, or digestive disturbances).
Allergies do not produce every illness, but they can produce an amazing diversity of symptoms and can affect any system of the body.
Allergies may paradoxically produce under-activity or over-activity of an affected organ or system, but in either case the body doesn’t work properly.
Allergies are becoming much more common because of the 20th-century way of living. It is estimated that at least half of all patients attending their GP have symptoms wholly or partly attributable to allergy.
(See also our articles on Allergy Testing and Hay Fever)
What diseases and symptoms are caused by Allergies?
All systems of the body may be affected by allergy. There are also generalised symptoms, which simultaneously affect several systems. The symptoms listed in capital letters are strong indication of an allergy, especially if present for longer than two weeks. The following table lists allergic symptoms by system.
Generalised: Persistently tired despite rest, overweight, underweight or rapidly changing weight, intermittent swellings of parts of the body.
Brain: Addictions, anxiety, depression, drowsiness, hyper-activity, irritability, light sensitivity, migraine, muscular weakness, sweating.
Alimentary Canal: Abdominal pain, anorexia, bloated abdomen, colitis, constipation, diarrhoea, hunger, indigestion, irritable bowel, mouth ulcers, obesity, piles, thirst, wind.
Lungs, ears, nose, throat, eyes: Asthma, blocked nose, bronchitis, catarrh, floaters, glue ear, hay fever, recurrent infections, shadow under eyes, wheezing.
Heart and circulatory system: Fainting, fast or irregular pulse, palpitations, sweating.
Skin: Eczema, itching, oedema, psoriasis, urticaria (hives).
Bladder and reproduction: Bedwetting, cystitis, recurrent thrush, vaginal discharge.
Bones and joints: Arthritis, rheumatism.
What causes Allergies?
Allergies are caused by substances, which cause altered reactivity. These substances are known as Provocants or Allergens, and are any sort of harmful agents such as biological particles, pollen, or dust, which may cause an environmentally induced illness (an allergy) in a susceptible individual.
The allergic reaction occurs due to the reaction of the immune system which is composed of white cells and antibodies, circulating in the blood and is controlled by the hormones cortisone and adrenaline.
A malfunctioning immune system gives rise to allergic symptoms because of the production of highly reactive molecules called Free Radicals that damage tissues.
The four sources of Provocants are:
Biological: Food and drink, infections, animal and plant proteins, including animal hair and pollen.
Chemical: Any of the 60,000+ chemicals in common use.
Physical: Radio and microwaves, infra-red, visible and UV1 light, X-rays, atomic radiation.
Mental: Stress
When does an Allergy occur?
An allergy may occur at any time after the first exposure to a provocant or allergen.
This may be eaten, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
Allergies are much more common after a ‘trigger event’ such as an infection (especially virus infection), massive exposure to chemicals or radiation, or a shock or accident.
It is often helpful if you think back to the year before your allergy started to see if you can identify the trigger event.
Why does food allergy occur?
Food allergy occurs because of a failure of the body to adapt to the change in diet since the Stone Age.
To put it another way, we are giving our bodies the wrong foods so they don’t work properly, like putting diesel fuel in a petrol engine.
The essence of the Stone Age human diet was variety. They would eat everything that they could catch or find that was edible. All non-poisonous plant matter was eaten, from the roots at the bottom to the buds at the top, taking in stems, leaves, fruits, berries, and nuts on the way up.
Equally, all animals were eaten, starting from humble worms, insects, and slugs to fish, frogs, snakes, birds, and mammals. Variety was an unavoidable part of the Stone Age diet since without refrigeration or the ability to transport food across the globe any fruit or vegetable (e.g., apples) would be available only for part of the year. The rest of the year Stone Age people would have to do without apples whether they liked it or not.
Since the Stone Age there have been three major changes in diet
Almost 10,000 years ago Stone Age humans ceased being Nomadic and settled down in one place to cultivate wheat and more intensively to rear cattle, and produce milk, dairy products, beef, and eggs. This process radically changed his food intake.
Several 100 years ago, as sailing ships became larger and faster, significant quantities of highly allergic foods, such as citrus fruits, tea, coffee, cocoa, and sugar were imported. Also, instead of eating foods just in season they could be eaten all the year round.
Since World War II, petrochemical additives (called E numbers) have been added in larger and larger amounts to food until the present time, and it is now increasingly difficult to have a diet free of colours, flavours, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, and stabilisers. A larger number of people with food allergies cannot accept the modern diet, which is repetitive and lacking in variety.
The modern diet usually gives high daily levels of milk and milk products, wheat and wheat products, egg, citrus fruits, tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar, and additives. These particular foods are the commonest cause of food allergy.
The body cannot cope with an excessive amount or excessive repetition of any one food and may give symptoms as previously listed.
Which factors increase my risk of allergy?
Allergy is often an inherited characteristic. The more members of your family who have allergies of any sort, the greater your own risk of also suffering allergies.
If 0 parents have allergies 10-20% risk
If 1 parent has allergies 30-50% risk
If 2 parents have allergies 40-75% risk
The hereditary nature of allergy is often greatly underappreciated because the symptoms of diseases listed are all seen as different conditions, rather than just a different outward manifestation of the same underlying problem.
What to expect when you visit a therapist
You will be asked questions relating to your medical history and perhaps that of your immediate family. Lifestyle questions, such as stress levels, diet, exercise regimes, and sleep patterns will be asked to ensure that an holistic approach is taken as well as asking you, the patient, what expectations you have of the treatment.
There are a variety of test undertaken in order to diagnose allergies, and there are a diverse number of ways in which you can treat allergies and intolerances. These include:
Scratch test is where the patient’s skin is scratched with a needle that contains a portion of the food, irritant, or chemical that is being tested for. After a short period of time the area is inspected to see if a reaction has occurred. If so, it is assumed that the person is allergic to the substance. If the substance is food you will be advised to eliminate it from your diet for 10-14 days, after which time you can introduce the food or foods one at a time to see if a reaction reoccurs.
Muscle testing / kinesiology involves placing the suspected allergen onto the tongue or the body and testing your ability to resist pressure directed onto a limb.
Radioallergosorbent test (RAST) involves testing the blood for the antibody immunoglobulin E indicating an allergic reaction.
Desensitisation is where the allergen is placed next to the skin in the hope that the body will produce enough antibodies over a period of time, so you no longer react badly to it.
Provocation neutralisation is when various concentrations of the irritant are injected under the skin or given as drops on the tongue. The concentrations diminish in strength until the practitioner finds the one that you no longer react to. This is then the one that you should use as a medicine.
Vega test is a low voltage current directed onto acupuncture points with suspected allergens placed in the machine; a change in readout indicates an allergic reaction.
Sublingual drop test is where the patient is restricted to a fluid intake and then after five days a drop of solution containing the irritant is placed on the tongue to check for reactions.
History (in brief)
Hippocrates, the father of medicine in ancient Greece, recorded cases of reactions to food, but it wasn’t until 1906 when paediatrician Baron Clemens E von Pirquet used the term allergy to explain why some of his patients reacted to particular foods, chemicals, stings, and other environmental pollutants.
Two other main figures in the history of allergy testing and study are Dr Theron G Randolph and biologist Rachel Carson, both from the US. Dr Randolph claimed that allergies to certain foods produced certain conditions and ailments in some people; illness such as arthritis, headaches, fatigue, and skin reactions.
In 1962, Rachel Carson best-selling book, “Silent Spring”, highlighted the dangers of pesticides and insecticides.
The study of allergies is called Clinical Ecology. It took off in the UK in the 1970s, and is a growing discipline today.
Precaution: If you suspect a heart attack, call 999 immediately. Symptoms include severe unremitting chest pain, sweating, breathlessness, and nausea.