Allergies Affected My Family: A Personal Analysis

Allergies have affected my life in many different ways. The majority of my family has at least one allergen so I was pretty much bound to be allergic to something, I just so happened to be allergic to just about everything outside and inside. I am allergic to types of foods, especially high amounts of red dye and dairy products, different air particles, and just things you can touch. I am actually allergic to a lot of things you can find in a barn, such as dust and mold, which caused a lot of problems because I basically grew up in a barn because of horses. I take different kinds of medicine to try to control any reactions, but that always doesn’t work. I also have an epipen for when I have a severe reaction. For about three years I got three
allergy shots a week. After that with only limited help from them I stopped the shots. Benadryl helps sometimes but often makes me drowsy. The symptoms I usually encounter include watery eyes and runny nose, but sometimes if I have been exposed to the allergen for too long I will break out in hives. An allergy is when your body reacts to something that is usually harmless to you. Those reactions are caused by allergens which could include pollen, animal dander, certain foods, or anything that can irritate your skin. When your body reacts to an allergen it produces a protein called IgE. The IgE grabs the allergen and then the body releases a histamine which causes the different symptoms. Symptoms can include itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose, rashes, or hives. Food allergens can cause cramps or vomiting.