Skip to Main Content

Allergies: Explained

Allergies

Watch

What is an Allergy?

An allergy is a reaction by your immune system to something that does not bother most other people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one thing. Substances that often cause reactions are

  • Pollen
  • Dust mites
  • Mold spores
  • Pet dander
  • Food
  • Insect stings
  • Medicines

Normally, your immune system fights germs. It is your body's defense system. In most allergic reactions, however, it is responding to a false alarm. Genes and the environment probably both play a role.

Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rashes, swelling, or asthma. Allergies can range from minor to severe. Continue reading from Medline Plus

From Our Collection

Link to The Allergy Book by Robert Sears in the Catalog
Link to Allergy-Free Kids by Robin Nixon Pompa in the Catalog
Link to The Allergy-Free Pantry by Colette Martin
Link to An Epidemic of Absence: A New Way of Understanding Allergies and Autoimmunne Diseases by Moises Velasquez-Manoff in the Catalog
Link to The Complete Guide to Food Allergies In Adults and Children by Scott Sicherer MD in the Catalog
Link to When Your Child Has Food Allergies by Mireille Schwartz in the Catalog
Link to My House Is Killing Me! by Jeffrey May in the Catalog

Link to the Health & Wellness Resource Guide Series Homepage