allergens, allergic reaction, allergies, anaphylactic shock, antibodies, antihistamines, evolution, histamines, IgE, immune system, immunity, immunology, Medzhitov, natural selection, sophisticated defences, why allergies
While out on a walk at night, my spouse and I found a cute cat who snuggled up to my spouse and brushed against his legs. In a few minutes, my spouse began to get red itchy spots on his arms and legs. He was having an allergic reaction. He ran home and took a bath. Thankfully, that took care of the problem. An allergic reaction occurs when the body encounters an element it recognizes as foreign and threatening. The body then goes into an attack frenzy producing chemicals that can lead to swollen lips, hives, fever, vomiting, diarrhea or even anaphylactic shock. It is our own immunity turning against the body. Cure options are available but understanding allergies better could bring more effective treatments. We now know how allergies happen but we are not sure about the why part of it.