What is an allergy?

An abnormally high sensitivity to certain substances, such as pollens, foods, or microorganisms. The immune system of an allergic person reacts when an allergen is absorbed into their body, treating the substance as a harmful invader, causing the white blood cells to begin producing IgE antibodies which attach themselves to mast cells. When this occurs it causes the body to release histamine, which can cause allergy symptoms. Common indications of allergy may include sneezing, itching, and skin rashes.

Latest Allergy News

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) declares May as "National Asthma and Allergy Month." The month-long public awareness program is officially recognized nationally by President George W. Bush. COMPLETE STORY New Product Improves Air Quality, Saves Money Rockledge, FL ­ An aerospace engineering company has developed an innovative new product called PuraClean™ Filter Spray, that transforms an ordinary air conditioning or heating filter into an electrostatic filter that does a visibly better job of capturing air-borne allergens, such as dust, pollen, and mold to improve the quality of air we breathe in our homes and workplaces. And it will also save consumers a tidy sum on the monthly bills. COMPLETE STORY

Indoor Air More Polluted Than Air Outdoors Allergy sufferers beware... According to the American Lung Association, indoor air is two to 100 times more polluted than the air outdoors -- a scary thought considering the Association's new "State of the Air" rankings, stating that over half of Americans breathe unhealthy levels of outdoor air pollution. COMPLETE STORY Molds Increase Severity of Asthma LONDON, ENGLAND -- Severe asthma in adults may be associated with sensitivity to airborne moulds rather than pollens, finds a study in this week's British Medical Journal. Sensitization to moulds was significantly associated with severity of asthma, but the team found no association between severity of asthma and sensitization to pollens or cats. COMPLETE STORY