Common allergy triggers at a glance

There are a whole host of allergies that cause people hay fever, breathing difficulties, skin rash, asthma, and in the worst cases, can cause anaphylactic shock, such as. B. :

• pollen allergy 
• house dust allergy 
• animal-hair allergy 
• allergy to medication 
• contact allergy 
• mold allergy 
• food allergy 
• insect bite allergy 
• Sun allergy 

In Germany, about a third of adults between 18 and 79 years suffer from some allergy. Even among children and adolescents, allergies are among the most common health impairments.

Pollen allergy is the most common, diagnosed in 9 percent of children and 15 percent of adults at some point in their lives. House dust allergy is also fairly common in the population. True food allergy or insect sting allergy, while occurring rather rarely, can take a severe course or even be fatal if symptoms are not treated as soon as possible.

The substances that lead to an allergic reaction are called allergens. These can be, for example, proteins from pollen or excretions from pets and dust mites. They are actually completely harmless and pose no threat to the body. However, the immune system mistakenly sees this completely differently and drives up the full program to fight them.

Frequent allergy triggers are:

• Pollen from e.g. trees, grasses, herbs and cereals
• Animal hair from e.g. cats, dogs, horses and other pets
• Dust mites
• Mold spores
• Food such as. E.g. dairy products, nuts, crustaceans
• Medicines, e.g. penicillin
• Fragrances
• Chemicals
• Metals, e.g.. Nickel
• Latex
• UV light
• Insect venom from bees, bumblebees, wasps, or hornets

Inhaling, touching, eating, or injecting the allergens sets off the immune system's overreaction. Accordingly, the allergic reactions affect the respiratory tract, the skin or the whole body at once. Doctors therefore distinguish the allergy triggers in

• Inhalation allergens
• Contact allergens
• Food allergens
• Parasitic or microbial allergens
• Injection allergens

In addition, an already existing allergy can lead to a cross-allergy . This is often the case with pollen allergy sufferers, who then usually also do not tolerate certain foods well. Because of the similar structure of the allergens, people with birch pollen allergy may notice itching and scratching in the mouth and throat, for example, when eating apples or hazelnuts.

The symptoms of an allergy vary greatly depending on the type of allergy. While hay fever is mainly manifested by a runny nose, sneezing, swollen or reddened eyes and breathing problems, a contact allergy results in itching and a skin rash. If the symptoms occur seasonally in spring and summer, the triggers are usually pollen. If, on the other hand, the allergic rhinitis exists all year round and intensifies in closed rooms, house dust mites, animal hair or molds could be behind it.

Although most allergies are annoying for those affected, they tend to be mild and rarely lead to a severe restriction in everyday life. They can usually be managed well with mast cell stabilizers or antihistamines . Often anti-allergic nasal sprays (e.g. Pollicrom® Nasal Spray, Pollival® Nasal Spray) and anti-allergic eye drops  (e.g. For example, Pollicrom® eye drops, Pollival® eye drops).

It becomes problematic, however, when allergic asthma or even anaphylactic shock occurs. Medical treatment should then be sought as soon as possible. Even a small insect bite or a food allergy can otherwise become life-threatening.

Even though many sufferers feel that they are permanently suffering from an allergy, it is very rare for someone to react to everything. However, it is quite possible that an allergy sufferer is sensitized to different substances and suffers from a pollen allergy as well as a contact allergy, animal hair allergy, food allergy or other allergy.

In general, anyone who is prone to allergies usually reacts to several allergy triggers. Nevertheless, it is usually only certain substances that lead to the complaints, and not immediately the complete spectrum. By means of a allergy test you can find out which substances you should urgently avoid.