Allergy misconceptions
ALLERGIES are one of the most commonly misunderstood conditions. Since it triggers symptoms that sometimes look like other illnesses, it is often believed to cause other effects within the body. Some old wives tales and illogical explanations about allergies have also made it to the mainstream, making it harder to filter fact from fiction.
Dr. Marysia Stella T. Recto, a specialist on Pedia and Adult Allergology & Immunology, shared with BusinessWorld some of these misconceptions and shed light on what is real and scientific.
One of the mos t common misconception is that all rashes are caused by allergies. “People think that just because they have a rash, it’s already an allergy, and that the moment they get a rash it’s because of something they ate,” Dr. Recto explained, and added that if a rash is not itchy, that already rules out an allergic skin condition.
Another allergy misconception that Dr. Recto cited is the belief that people can build a tolerance from their food allergies by frequently ingesting what they are allergic to. She believes that this practice is both dangerous and illogical, and should not be observed. She added that one should, at all cost, avoid what they are allergic to.
Dr. Recto said that those who may have tried this method and succeeded in developing a tolerance may not have been allergic to that food in the first place.
Another misconception is that allergies are contagious. Allergic Rhinitis, for example, can cause sneezing and flu-like symptoms that may be misinterpreted by other people as a contagious cold but Dr. Recto assured that these are not at all contagious but merely an allergic person’s reaction to their allergen.
“Allergies are basically hypersensitivity reactions. It means that the immune system is not balanced. It’s hyper reactive to environmental stimulation,” she said.
Dr. Recto added that what happens inside the body of an allergic person is just a reaction to stimulus or allergens that activate “the immune system to trigger a reaction that will release histamine” and cause sneezing and other symptoms.
She shared that the reason why these misconceptions continue to exist