Causes Of Hay Fever
Hay fever is believed to be caused by allergens in the air such as dust, spores, and animal dander. Traditionally, early people associate harvesting of field hay to developing constant sneezing and chronic fever, thus the term “hay fever.”
Today, however, this belief is said to be a misnomer. A fever that is caused by certain allergens should not be hastily associated with being in contact with a field of hay. Experts agree with this.
The more common term for hay fever, today, is allergic rhinitis. The term has been introduced because it is a more appropriate term medically. ‘Rhinitis’ refers to the irritation of the nasal passages that is connected to sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and nose, runny nose and excess tears. Sometimes, when put together, these symptoms can bring on an unusually high temperature.
When the body’s immune system is attached by these allergens, that’s when hay fever occurs. Within the body’s immune system, there is a productive substance called the ‘immunoglobuline E’ or IgE. Allergic rhinitis begins when the antibodies (allergens) begin to hurt mast cells. The group of cells are sometimes unprotected by IgE because they are so many that the IgE supply can’t cover them all up against all of the antibodies.
When mast cells become infected, they produce allergic substances toward tissues and other body cells. Histamine is one of these substances. It is a very strong and sometimes irritating substance that can cause extreme itchiness and some swelling to the tissues.
In the long run, these chemicals, especially histamine, could trigger a lot more mechanisms to cause more serious disorders like loss of voice, tightening of the throat, and asthma. At times, sufferers of hay fever likewise endure muscle spasms and lung contraction.
Protein is also a cause of allergic rhinitis. People that always have contact with plants, might be infected with pollens, in this case proteins. These are known as the male sex cells in trees, weeds and grasses. It is invisible because it is only about 4 microns in diameter.
As small as it is, pollen is considered a very potent source of allergy. They rest on nasal linings and affect the rest of the respiratory tract that quickly cause allergic reactions.
Filed under: Allergies