Many people suffer from some type of allergy. In most cases the allergy is minor, and the person may not even realize they have an allergy. In other cases the allergy is more severe and the person may require medical assistance to deal with their conditions. There is a lot of confusion surrounding allergies, and also some myths about allergies. Below are some of the most common myths and misconceptions regarding allergies and allergic reactions.
“Children will out grow their allergies.” Many children have allergies, and the myth surrounding children and allergies, is that the allergy will disappear as the child approaches adulthood. It is possible for a child to outgrow some food allergies, however the majority of allergies do not disappear as the child grows older. Milk and soy allergies are the most common ones to out grow, but the rest of the food allergies, along with other allergies never go away.
“It is a common thing to have a food allergy”. This is not true. It’s estimated that 40 percent of adults believe they have a food allergy. The truth is that only about 1 to 2 percent of adults have some type of food allergy, and only 5 percent or less of children, have an allergy to a certain food product. A lot of people mistake an intestinal virus for a food allergy. Anther misconception is simply some foods we eat will cause temporary intestinal distress, including gas, and other stomach pain, not related to an allergy. Food poisoning or food that is not prepared properly will also cause symptoms that can be mistaken for a food allergy.
“Allergy shots don’t work” This is simply not true. Although some allergy shots are not effective on most food allergies, the shots are very effective on allergies such as insects, venom, and hay fever. Allergy shots have also been effective on other non food related food allergies as well.
“Most allergies are caused by your mind”. Many people think that allergies are created in the brain, and not a real physical allergy. It is not a psychosomatic disorder that causes people to have allergic reactions. An allergy is a real medical issue. An allergy is an immune system reaction to ordinary substances in our environment. The immune system is reacting to the substances the same way it’s programmed to act against a parasite. Sometimes the allergic reaction is very mild, but sometimes it’s severe, and even fatal if not treated.
“Pets with short hair are better for people with allergies.” This is not true at all. Pet hair does not cause allergic symptoms. It’s actually the skin particles, (dander) that contains the allergens. The pet hair has nothing to do with allergies. The allergic reaction happens when an animal shakes, is being petted or rubs its body against things; the skin particles become air born causing people to have a reaction to the dander. In some cases, people can also have an allergy to the saliva of a pet, but to a much lesser extent.
“Skin rashes are mainly caused by detergents” The allergy studies in the past used to suspect laundry detergents, and soaps to be a primary allergy component. Recent studies have proved otherwise. Although some soap can cause irritation to the skin, it is not usually an allergic reaction. Detergents and soaps contain some chemicals that may be an irritant to the skin, but very few people actually have an allergy to the products.
” Moving to the South West US will cure your allergies” People who suffer from environmental allergies may find some relief moving to a desert but in a lot of cases the same people will develop new types of similar allergies.