If pet dander makes you sneeze, blooming flowers make you itchy and give you a throat sore or the idea of getting near a Christmas tree makes you want to crawl out of your skin, chances are that you – like 60 million other Americans – suffer from allergies.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), "Allergies reflect an overreaction of the immune system to substances that usually cause no reaction in most individuals. These substances can trigger sneezing, wheezing, coughing and itching. Allergies are not only bothersome, but many have been linked to a variety of common and serious chronic respiratory illnesses (such as sinusitis and asthma)…Additionally, allergic reactions can be severe and even fatal."
Many allergy sufferers think that they know everything about their disease. But more often than not, the facts they think they know and the truth are two different things. Here are a few clarifications you should know about allergy misconceptions:
Carpet is a no-no – While this is a popular myth in the allergy world, it is simply not true. There are not scientific studies that have proven or even supported the idea that carpeting increases symptoms or the number of allergy sufferers in an area. In fact, some studies have actually shown that carpeting helped people reduce their allergies by marked margins. One study found that when carpet use declined by 70 percent across the country, the rate of allergies among the population increased by 30 percent. One justification for these findings is that carpet could act as a filter and trap allergens so they cannot float around in the air and act as a trigger.
They go away on their own – This may or may not be true. You certainly have the ability to develop allergies as you get older, so it only makes sense that they might also go away as you age. This is because your immune system has the ability to grow and develop, meaning that it is possible for it to become familiar with certain allergens and not react as strongly.
House plants may contribute – It is definitely true that if you have a pollen allergy and you have plants in the house that hold pollen, you will probably have a reaction. With that being said, a lot of the pollen that causes bodily reactions like watery eyes, scratchy throat and sneezing is found in outdoor plants like trees, grass and weeds. In fact, some studies – including one from NASA – found that house plants can actually work as air filters, making air quality within the home even better.
Pet hair causes issues – If this were the case, shaving the hair off your pet would allow you to peacefully coexist without any symptoms. Pet hair is not the problem. Rather, it is the oil gland secretions that are released as dander that causes issues for allergy prone owners. Cat dander tends to be the most common pet-related allergen, but dog dander and rodent urine also can cause serious reactions. But if you are allergic, it doesn't mean you have to get rid of your furry friend. Simply don't allow them on the furniture, swap out your sheets for hypoallergenic bedding and be sure to use the best allergy control medication for your symptoms.
To learn more about allergies as a disease, follow along with this blog. If you want to learn how Allergy Be Gone can help you control your reactions, contact us today!
