An allergy is a reaction to a foreign substance by a person sensitive to that substance. Allergies are part of the body's immune mechanisms. They are triggered when an antigen--a substance foreign to the body--enters or contacts the body, which...

An allergy is an excessive or hypersensitive response of the immune system to harmless substances in the environment. Instead of fighting off a disease-causing foreign substance, the immune system launches a complex series of actions against an...

Elimination Diet A systematic approach for diagnosing food allergies. An elimination diet is the systematic elimination of different foods and food groups from the diet as a means of diagnosing food allergies. While people of all ages can develop an...

A delayed hypersensitivity test is an immune function test measuring the presence of activated T cells that recognize a certain substance. The immune system protects against infection by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. After initial exposure...

Allergy is a disorder of the immune system that is often called atopy. Allergic reactions occur to environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of...

Several seasons of the year seem to affect allergy victims more than others. Symptoms range from upper respiratory problems, with burning, tearing, swollen eyes and sinus congestion, to bronchial spasms with asthmatic episodes. Occasionally, there may even be skin reactions with itching, swelling and...

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The unseasonably warm weather along the East Coast has flooded some offices with patients suffering from an unusual ailment this time of year: allergies.Doctors say this winter's weather has sparked an onslaught of mold spores that cause allergies and fluctuating temperatures that irritate already-suffering nasal...

The American Medical Association voted Monday to lobby for laws allowing severely allergic children to bring lifesaving medicine to school.Many school districts have policies prohibiting children from bringing medicine to school and 18 states have similar bans, said Dr. Duane Cady, a member of the...