Top Story

  Editorial

  Metro

  Kashmir

  Business

  Sports

  Scoop

  Societal

  Health

    Cartoon

ALLERGIC conditions have increased fourfold in the last 20 years and one in three adults world over, will develop an allergy at some stage in life.

A latest study on allergy reveals that four out of ten school children globally have at least one allergy whereas one in five children have asthma. An estimated, the report said six million people have eczema, over nine million people have hayfever and over one million people have a food allergy in the world.

The report said the common allergic disorders include asthma, hay fever, eczema, wasp sting, medication and food allergies. The usual symptoms observed in allergy patients are itchy skin and rashes, sneezing or runny nose with blockage, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, itchy red eyes and nose, swelling of the mouth, vomiting or diarrhoea, post nasal drip, sore throats and deafness, the report added.

"Allergy symptoms may be little more than a mild source of irritation for some patients but for others, it can be a dangerous life-threatening experience", said health experts while commenting on the report.

Dr Trisha Macnair, an allergy specialist, responding to a query about defining allergy said that an allergen is simply the name given to any substance which can trigger an allergy. "Allergies may be confused with symptoms of the common cold and if you constantly suffer with colds and frequent rashes, you should discuss possible allergies with your doctor", she said.

There are many thousands of different allergens, from the pollen of the birch tree to egg proteins, she said adding, in fact, almost any chemical can provoke an allergic reaction in someone who is very sensitive. The most common allergens kinds include house dust mites (well, actually their excreta), tree and grass pollen, food proteins, especially egg and peanut.

Proteins are a main source of causing allergies and all above mentioned allergens may be caused by proteins. But there are some allergens which are not oriented with proteins. However, in order to trigger an allergic reaction they combine with a protein when they enter the body, experts said.