2008 Woodie Awards
A case of the sniffles or an allergy in disguise?
Alison Boyle
Issue date: 10/26/06 Section: Health
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Its hard to breathe, you can't sleep, and you have to be up early the next day for a huge calculus test. So you stumble to the medicine cabinet and find two bottles. The first reads "Nyquil" and it instantly reminds you of the undeniably catchy commercial jingle "The sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, and sleep better to feel better medicine." The second bottle reads "Clarinex" and you can immediately recall its powerful catchphrase "Take back the morning." Which medication is right for you? Do you have a cold? The flu? Or could it be, AN ALLGERY? Many people are under the assumption that a cold and an allergy are more or less the same, and as a result, think that cold and allergy medications can be used interchangeably. This can be a very dangerous assumption but, once you are aware of what an allergy is, and are informed of the differences between an allergy and a cold, it will become obvious whether a dosage of Clarinex, or Nyquil will do the trick. Dr. Adrian Morris defines an Allergy, or Allergic Hypersensitivity, as an adverse immune reaction to a protein or allergen, in our environment, which is normally harmless to the non-allergic person. According to KidsHealth.org, in an attempt to protect the body, the immune system of the allergic person forms antibodies known as immunoglobulin E. Those antibodies then cause allergy cells to release chemicals such as histamine, into the bloodstream to defend against the allergen "invader." The chemicals released are exactly what trigger the symptoms common in allergic reactions.
Allergies can develop at any point in life, and can be triggered by a laundry list of different things. There are two major branches of allergens, airborne and food. KidsHealth.org lists the five most popular airborne allergies as dust-mites, pollen, mold, pet dander, and cockroaches. It names the five most prevalent food allergies as cow's milk, wheat, soy, nuts, eggs and fish. Insect stings, medications, and chemicals have also been known to be a cause of allergies. In other words, if you think you can lock yourself indoors for the remainder of your life and hide from developing allergens, you are sadly mistaken.
Allergies can develop at any point in life, and can be triggered by a laundry list of different things. There are two major branches of allergens, airborne and food. KidsHealth.org lists the five most popular airborne allergies as dust-mites, pollen, mold, pet dander, and cockroaches. It names the five most prevalent food allergies as cow's milk, wheat, soy, nuts, eggs and fish. Insect stings, medications, and chemicals have also been known to be a cause of allergies. In other words, if you think you can lock yourself indoors for the remainder of your life and hide from developing allergens, you are sadly mistaken.
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